500 years of Reformation celebrated with a commemorative stamp

The three Lutheran churches in Namibia will be commemorating 500 years of Reformation which is internationally celebrated on 14 May in Windhoek.

NamPost has issued a first day cover, a single stamp souvenir sheet and a post card stamp taking up the commemoration of 500 years of Reformation. A total of 3,300 first day covers, 20,000 single stamp souvenir sheets and 15,000 post cards were issued.

A special date stamp canceller with the date 14 May 2017 – the Sunday of the Global Commemoration of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation, will be released and will be used during the Commemoration. The stamps will be available as souvenirs for delegates and interested members of the public at the event.

The Lutheran churches ELCIN and ELCRN approached the Lutheran World Federation to provide opportunities for tertiary education to Namibians as part of the preparation for the independence of the country. The Lutheran World Federation beneficiaries during the time of apartheid, in Namibia in most cases had no access to tertiary education, which was provided by the Lutheran World Federation back then.

The collection of stamps illustrate this storyline of how hundreds of young men and women were sent to study and obtain various professional skills locally and abroad. They have since graduated and some have since returned to Namibia and have taken up key positions in the church, community and in the government. Many are in the private sector and hold key positions.

When the Namibian Lutheran churches decided to host the Lutheran World Federation Assembly, the Lutheran scholarship beneficiaries decided to help raise funds for this important event. The collected funds will be handed over to the church at separate event this week.