The Universal Postal Union – the second oldest international organization, a member of the United Nations family and the primary forum for international postal cooperation – celebrated World Post Day in a big way in 2024, marking its 150th anniversary with the international community.
The UN observance marks the day the Treaty of Bern was signed by 22 countries to create the Universal Postal Union. A century and a half later, 192 countries are party to the UPU’s treaties, forming a truly universal postal network that has helped facilitate not only the ability to communicate across borders, but access to a number of essential services offered by the Post, for billions of people worldwide. This was the inspiration for the theme of the landmark anniversary year and 2024 World Post Day: “150 years of enabling communication and empowering peoples across nations”.
With the goal of properly reflecting on the organization’s past, acknowledging its present situation and paving the way for its future, the UPU organized a series of events on 9 October in Berne, Switzerland.
150 years in Berne
The UPU opened its 150th birthday with a ceremony acknowledging the importance of the city of Berne in its foundation, as its host city. This began with a ceremony to inaugurate a new sign in front of the UPU monument in Berne’s Kleine Schanze park.
Titled “Around the world” and designed by French sculptor René de Saint-Marceaux, the granite and bronze statue depicts five figures – representing Africa, Asia, the Americas, Australia and Europe – passing letters around a globe to signify the UPU’s vital role in global communication. A female figure seated at the side of the globe and holding Berne’s coat of arms signifies the UPU’s host city. The work was inaugurated in 1909, following an international design competition.
UPU Director General Masahiko Metoki was joined by President of the Executive Council of Berne Evi Allemann and Mayor Alec von Graffenried, to cut the ribbon inaugurating the new sign in the presence of high-level representatives from the Swiss government, former UPU Directors and Deputy Directors General, and members of the UPU’s current executive management.
Speaking during the ceremony, the UPU Director General expressed the organization’s gratitude to the City of Berne.
“Today, the UPU stands strong with 192 member countries, committed to connecting and empowering people in every corner of the world. But our roots remain firmly here, in this beautiful city of Berne, which has provided a home to the international postal community and has been a constant source of inspiration.”
After the ceremony, guests moved to Berne’s Restaurant Zum Äusseren Stand, formerly a political meeting hall and the venue where the 22 founding countries gathered to sign the treaty that created the UPU.
150 years of multilateralism
Later in the day, the organization welcomed the international community at its headquarters. Ambassadors of UPU member countries represented in Berne and Geneva joined heads and high-level representatives of UN and international organizations, as well as the Swiss authorities and the UPU secretariat.
The Director General opened the celebration in reading his annual World Post Day message, which highlighted the organization as a pioneer of multilateralism and an example of its continued relevance in an ever-evolving world.
“As we look to the future, the UPU’s mission remains clear: to connect and empower people around the world,” he said. “By staying committed to multilateralism, innovation, and inclusivity, the UPU will continue to support global communication and serve future generations for the next 150 years.”
Speaking via video message on the occasion, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the UPU’s vital role in connecting everyone, everywhere, through the past present and future.
“Global cooperation helped guarantee a single postal territory worldwide – one that leaves no one behind by delivering messages, goods, and financial services to some of the most remote places on earth,” he said. “Looking ahead, the UPU continues to leverage new technologies to provide essential services to humanity.”
The global cooperation that has built and strengthened the international postal network has included not only the dedication of member countries, but also the support of other international partners – particularly in regards to expanding and evolving e-commerce needs. High-level representatives from UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), World Customs Organization (WCO), International Civil Aviation Organization, Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) and World Trade Organization delivered testimonials during the commemoration.
UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan reflected on the revolutionary nature of the UPU’s conception.
“Imagine a world without cars, without planes, without the Internet. Imagine a world where communications were slow, unreliable, and often impossible. In that world, the creation of the UPU was a moonshot, an act of faith in the future that did not yet exist – a leap into the unknown – and yet it worked.”
She underscored that, while communication and commerce have evolved since 1874, the UPU has played a pivotal role in evolving its network to meet modern needs.
“The UPU has been instrumental in helping postal operators navigate this shift, facilitating the growth of cross-border e-commerce and ensuring that everyone can participate in the global digital economy,” she said.
In a video message, ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin highlighted how the partnership between ITU and the UPU has and is continuing to help ensure inclusive and meaningful connectivity for people around the globe through the Partner to Connect Digital Coalition.
“Connecting post offices, especially in rural areas, is key to bringing much-needed digital infrastructure to underserved communities around the world,” she said.
Looking to the future, she added, “As we continue to shape the future of global communication, let's keep harnessing every technological shift to build a more connected, inclusive, and sustainable digital world, ensuring that no one is left behind as we work to advance progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.”
In his address to the ceremony, WCO Secretary-General Ian Saunders described the work of posts and customs authorities as, “durable, intersecting threads in the fabric of society, keeping people connected and getting them the information and the things that they need.”
He emphasized how the cooperation between the two organizations was helping to ensure the digitization of customs clearance processes for postal items and address new challenges in the evolving global supply chain.
UPU member countries also shared messages of congratulations for the occasion. La Poste Groupe (France) CEO Philippe Wahl addressed the audience in person, further underscoring the value of international cooperation to help the sector navigate challenges still to come.
“Recent years have demonstrated that multilateralism is our common good and value here at the UPU, and this requires both universality and multilateralism. Of course, we will face new challenges and crises now and beyond, but it is through these principles that we will move forward,” he said.
Acknowledging excellence
While the celebration gave the international community to reflect on the growth and development of the network as a whole, it also provided an opportunity to celebrate standout performers in the UPU’s annual postal development index, which compared the postal networks of 174 countries based on the UPU’s big data records, official postal statistics, and key surveys. Countries’ networks were assessed for their reliability, reach, relevance and resilience, receiving a score out of 100.
Switzerland topped the ranking for the eighth consecutive year, while Germany shared the top possible score for the first time. Japan, the United States, France, the Netherlands, and Australia followed in the Postal Excellence category with the next highest scores.
The UPU also acknowledged the leaders of each region – including Brazil, China, Estonia, Mauritius and Morocco – as well as Hungary, Indonesia and Barbados, who were named “Rising Stars” for achieving the greatest overall improvement in postal development compared to the previous year.
Representatives from each country were invited to receive awards from the UPU Director General and Deputy Director General.
Speaking on the results, UPU Director General Masahiko Metoki emphasized the critical role of postal services in today’s interconnected world.
“Postal services are more than delivery systems: they are channels for commerce, pillars of infrastructure, and catalysts for socio-economic development. To all award recipients and to postal workers across the globe: your dedication connects communities, empowers businesses and unites the world.”
The future generation
The ceremony concluded with a celebration of the future by awarding medals to the four young winners of the UPU’s International Letter-Writing Competition.
In line with the milestone anniversary and the UN Summit of the Future, the 2024 edition of the competition asked children aged 9-15 to “Write a letter to future generations about the world you hope they inherit.” Letters from 50 participating countries were assessed by an international jury including representatives from competition partners, UNICEF and UNESCO, as well as former UPU Director General Eduard Dayan.
Of the 50 letters received, one stood ahead of the pack – a letter from 15-year-old Aliaksandr Piatrou from Belarus envisioning a future defined by progress towards a peaceful and harmonious world.
He writes: “With your permission, I want to give you some advice. Take care of the older generation, remember that it was they who gave you the opportunity to live freely under a peaceful sky. Work, move forward, make efforts, make new discoveries every day. Practice self-development and creativity. Discover and develop your talents. Earn likes in real life, appreciate what you have. Study history to avoid repeating the mistakes of past generations.”
Second place was shared by Cheng Zihan, 11, from China and Nayra Novelia Kusuma, 14, from Indonesia. Cheng, who focused his letter on preserving the environment, writes, “Regardless of where you find yourselves, we all share this planet's destiny and breathe the same air. It's crucial for you to shoulder the responsibility of your era, address climate change.”
Nayra advocated for the preservation of literacy in a world dominated by digital gadgets. “The era of technological improvement, digital development, dominating robots, and foreign cooperation makes the world look more luxurious … Time after time, fear haunts my desire to increase interest in literacy, especially in this country,” she writes.
Valeria Scartsella, 14, from Cyprus, won the competition’s third prize for her letter imagining advancements in technology and knowledge that would leave behind a more peaceful and equal world for her predecessors.
“In the future, people will join forces to combat every difficulty that humanity will face,” her letter explains. “Scientists will pool their ideas and harness technology to solve the global problems mankind has been facing for centuries, such as hunger and poverty.”
UPU Deputy Director Marjan Osvald described the letters as, “both inspiring and humbling.” To the winners, he said, “Your words carry the power to inspire those who are making decisions today – some of whom are gathered here in this room, while others join us virtually.”
A toast to the future
Following the ceremony, the diplomatic community was invited to a reception hosted jointly by the Swiss Confederation and the UPU.
Federal Councillor H.E. Mr Albert Rösti, Head of the Swiss Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications, reaffirmed Switzerland’s “unwavering commitment to fostering international cooperation in postal services” as a “neutral and stable” host country.
Looking towards the future of the Union, he touched on significant challenges and opportunities facing the sector – from e-commerce and digital services, to sustainable development and financial sustainability – closing on a hopeful note.
“I am confident that the UPU, with the continued support of its member countries, will continue to adapt and innovate. Together, we can build a future where the postal sector remains a vital force in connecting people and promoting global understanding.”
This article first appeared in Union Postale Autumn/Winter 2024.