On 21 September, Åland Post will issue former President of Finland Sauli Niinistö’s personal Åland stamp in the My Åland stamp series. The stamp centres on the theme of security and has been visualised by art photographer Christoffer Relander.
My Åland is Åland Post’s stamp series in which people with a close connection to Åland share their personal perspectives on the archipelago realm. Presidents Mauno Koivisto (2004), Martti Ahtisaari (2009) and Tarja Halonen (2015) have previously taken part in the series.
- “We are very pleased that President Sauli Niinistö is taking part in the series in 2026 and that he chose security as the theme for his stamp. In collaboration with art photographer Christoffer Relander, the motif has developed into a timeless story about the bond between people and place, the passage of time and how security is passed on from one generation to the next,” says Johanna Finne, Design Manager at Åland Post Stamps.
Sauli Niinistö served as President of Finland from 2012 to 2024. During his presidency, he visited Åland on several occasions and showed an active interest in Åland affairs.
The stamp was created by Finnish art photographer Christoffer Relander, who lives in Åland. In his distinctive style, he has woven together the president’s theme through several layers of imagery.
“I felt honoured by the trust placed in me. I wanted to create a timeless motif with a colour palette inspired by the Renaissance, filled with symbolic elements and, above all, a calm atmosphere. My youngest daughter acted as the model, while the hands belong to her older sister. I photographed the archipelago setting from the Notvik Tower at Bomarsund Fortress. It felt like the right setting – not only because it is beautiful there, but also because it is a place the president visited many times during his presidency”, says Relander.
Bomarsund also carries strong symbolic meaning in Åland’s history and serves as a reminder of the peaceful foundation on which Åland society rests today. The white dove adds another dimension to the motif as a timeless symbol of peace, freedom and hope.
For the issue, President Sauli Niinistö has handwritten the word security in both Finnish and Swedish – turvallisuus and trygghet – on the stamp sheet, a detail that reflects the co-creative approach that characterises the My Åland stamp series.
Name of issue: My Åland, Sauli Niinistö
Date of issue: 21 September 2026
Artist: Christoffer Relander
Design: Johanna Finne & Christoffer Relander
Edition: 30,000
Denomination: Domestic (€3.80)
Stamp size: 30 × 40 mm
Sheet size: 264 × 185 mm
Stamps per sheet: 2 × 12
Paper: 110 g/m²
Perforation: 12 per 2 cm
Process: 4-colour offset
Printer: Gutenberg AG
Order the stamp and first day cover from the online shop.