RIYADH, 17 September — The US Postal Service has announced that the Eid postage stamp will be reissued on Oct. 10 at the current first-class rate of 37 cents. The stamp was priced at 34 cents last year.
The reissue of the Eid stamp is one of a series of measures designed to win back support of the Arabs, who feel disenchanted with the blind US support for Israel against Palestinians. Other steps included the launch of Radio Sawa for the Arab audience and Ramadan Iftar which the US ambassador hosted last year for Saudi and other journalists at Quincey House, the US Ambassador’s official residence in the Diplomatic Quarter here.
According to the US Embassy in Riyadh, the decision to reissue the stamp reflects the US government’s resolve to commemorate two important Muslim festivals Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha.
“This is a proud moment for the Postal Service, the Muslim community, and Americans in general,” said Azeezaly S. Jaffer, vice president, Public Affairs and Communications for the Postal Service.
The Eid stamp, designed by Mohammed Zakariya of Arlington, Virginia, features the Arabic phrase “ Eid Mubarak” in gold calligraphy in a blue background.
Employing traditional methods and instruments to create this design, Zakariya chose a script, known in Arabic as “Thuluth: and in Turkish, “Sulus” He used homemade black ink, and his pens were crafted from seasoned reeds from the Middle East and Japanese bamboo from Hawaii.
The paper was specially prepared with a coating of starch and three coats of alum, and egg-white varnish, burnished with an agate stone and aged for more than a year.
