On 25 August, Åland Post releases a colourful stamp highlighting Åland’s place in the political cooperation around the Baltic Sea. Created by Åland artist Bo Söderlund, the stamp is issued in connection with Åland hosting the 34th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC).
“With the stamp, we wish to highlight the power of regional cooperation around our common sea and, at the same time, showcase Åland's place in the Baltic Sea region,” says Johanna Finne, design manager at Åland Post Stamps.
A stamp that puts Åland on the Baltic Sea map
Since its inception in 1991, Åland has been an active member of the BSPC, a forum for political dialogue between parliamentarians from ten national and seven regional parliaments and five parliamentary organizations operating around the Baltic Sea.
This year, Åland will be hosting the annual BSPC conference, gathering around 200 participants in Mariehamn from 24 to 26 August. The conference theme is The Baltic Sea – Our Lifeline. Cooperation, Security and Sustainability. The agenda includes issues such as shipping, fisheries, the marine environment, energy security, hybrid threats, as well as peace and security.
Since the autumn 2024, Åland member of parliament Alfons Röblom is president of the BSPC. He describes the forum as Åland's widest arena for networking and interparliamentary work.
Graphic interpretation of Baltic Sea map
The new stamp is illustrated by Åland artist Bo Söderlund, who has interpreted the map image of the Baltic Sea region through a cubist lens.
“I tried different tracks, but I ultimately chose a colourful abstraction of the Baltic Sea map and the flags of the countries. I decided to keep a strict style and work with shimmering colour and shade transitions,” Bo says.
Order stamp issue
The new stamp is a contemporary document as well as a tribute to cross-border cooperation. Order stamp and first day cover in the webshop.
Facts about the issue:
Name: Åland’s position in the Baltic SeaDate of issue: 25 August 2025
Artist: Bo Söderlund
Design: Johanna Finne & Bo Söderlund
Edition: 30 000
Denomination: Europa (€3.90)
Price FDC: €4.90
Stamp size: 3 × 35 mm
Sheet size: 199 ×296 mm
Stamps/sheet: 2 × 15 stamps
Paper: 110 g/m2
Perforation: 13 per 2 cm
Process: 4-colour offset
Printer: Cartor Security Printers
