FEPA News

FEPA NEWS 45 6 News from FEPA News from the FEPA Board Bill Hedley writes: Since January 2024 the Board has held five meetings, four by video conference and a weekend conference in Munich. The purpose of the Munich conference was to review FEPA’s priorities for the next three years. The question posed was: ‘How can FEPA best help its Members to promote philately in Europe?’ The assumption was that FEPA’s role is summarised in its four stated objectives ( Right ). The meeting started with a review of likely developments in the period up to 2030. This looked at the changes taking place in postal communications and philatelic organisations, the impact of further advances in technology, and the evolving pattern for exhibitions and philatelic events in the face of rising costs. Among many predictions made were the following: • The era of the postage stamp is coming to an end and they will become objects of the past. However, the timing of this development will vary from place to place. • There will continue to be a large number of collectors but, as predicted in the 2013 FEPA study on the future of philatelic organisations, the number of societies with a mainly social purpose will continue to decline. Societies with a specialist purpose will have more endurance, and their digital platforms will acquire greater importance in their work. • This will further reduce the number of people willing to help run philatelic organisations and events as volunteers. • The target group for new philatelists will be 40-60 years old, and they will often have specific needs such as support in a particular collecting area or the opportunity to join online discussion groups. • Rising costs and shortage of volunteers may drive a move towards fewer live exhibitions and the combination of live and digital formats in which exhibitors show a selection from their collections. Literature is also likely to go digital. • Artificial Intelligence will be a vital tool for identification and description, providing instant answer to questions and simultaneous translation. Technology costs will fall and the internet will provide access to data and information on philatelic matters for most collectors. On the other hand, there could be new risks from forgery and counterfeiting. • Use of the printed word will decline as publications move online. None of the above was surprising as it merely followed the trends of recent years. Nevertheless, it pointed towards the urgent need for philatelic organisations at all levels to embrace innovations if they wish to survive. These include: • Making full use of new technology in all its various forms, • Listening to members, and adapting in the light of feedback, Sharing Information Promoting Innovation and Cooperation Supporting Exhibitions Rewarding Achievements