“The will does not die”: how Ukrposhta’s new stamp for the Day of Dignity rethinks Maidans and war

21 November 19:30

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on November 21, Ukrposhta put into circulation a new artistic postage stamp “To the Day of Dignity and Freedom”. As of today, it is valid for postal services in all post offices, meaning that it is not just a collectible souvenir, but a full-fledged postage stamp that can be pasted on a letter or parcel and sent both in Ukraine and abroad, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports, citing official information from the national postal operator.

The ceremony of special redemption of the new postal issue took place at the XXI National Philatelic Exhibition “Ukrfilex. Odesa 2025”.

For Ukrposhta, such thematic issues have become a way to communicate with society in the language of symbols and at the same time document key moments in modern history.

The press service of the national postal operator emphasizes: “The Day of Dignity and Freedom is one of the few dates that combines two revolutions that shaped today’s Ukraine. We are talking about the Orange Revolution of 2004 and the Revolution of Dignity of 2013-2014. Both events began as a civil protest against the usurpation of power and fraud, and ended in a large-scale political transformation. This is a day of remembrance for the people who defended their rights, freedoms, and the country’s European choice, as well as a day of mourning for those who died in this struggle.

After the victory of the Revolution of Dignity, Ukraine entered a long period of resistance: first the annexation of Crimea, then the war in Donbas, and since February 24, 2022, Russia’s full-scale invasion. For the fourth year in a row, the Day of Dignity and Freedom has been celebrated in the midst of a major war. This gives the date a new, even deeper meaning: today it is not only about the right to choose and the dignity of a citizen, but also about the physical survival of the state and the preservation of its independence.

The Day of Dignity and Freedom stamp: what it looks like

The stamp sheet contains the words of Taras Shevchenko from his poem “The Caucasus”. This text became one of the symbols of Ukrainian resistance to the empire in the nineteenth century, and during the current war it again sounds like a political and moral support.

Our soul does not die. Our will does not die. And the hungry will not plow the field at the bottom of the sea,” Shevchenko wrote.

The stamp was created based on the works of artist Dmytro Kryshovskyi. The composition uses two key symbols of resistance from different eras.

The first is the Trident, a sign with a thousand-year history. From the princely era, it passed through the Ukrainian People’s Republic, survived decades of Soviet repression, and again became an undisputed marker of Ukrainian identity in the twenty-first century. Russian aggression in Crimea and eastern Ukraine began, in particular, with attempts to destroy the Trident as a symbol of statehood. Today, it unites Ukrainians who defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.

The second symbol is the phrase “Russian warship, go to…” that appeared in the first days of the full-scale invasion and became an artistic artifact of modern warfare. It quickly turned into a sign of invincibility that traveled around the world and is now captured on the stamp as part of the living history of resistance.

The stamp face value is U. The stamp sheet consists of 10 stamps and 2 coupons. The total circulation is 2,000,000 copies, including 23,000 non-perforated sheets with the overprint “Ukrfilex. Odesa 2025. XXI National Philatelic Exhibition”. These special sheets are intended for holders of the Exclusive and Exclusive season tickets and active participants of the philatelic movement.

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Ukrposhta CEO Igor Smelyansky emphasized that dignity and freedom in Ukraine are measured not by slogans, but by concrete actions.

People at the front, people in the rear – everyone in their place keeps the state together. Ukrposhta holds the line of communication. Our stamps are not souvenirs. They are a record of pain, resistance, and victory. And each of them is a cry of truth that breaks through the silence of the world,” he emphasized.

You can buy the stamp at Ukrposhta offices and in the online Postal Market.