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Designed by Dr. Myrsini Vardopoulou AEP Hon, the illustration of the NOTOS 2021 miniature sheet due in November was unveiled today.
Left: The Matrix of the medallion of the 1861 Large Hermes Heads stamps, produced by Désiré-Albert Barre.
Right: The Matrix of the 2011 150th anniversary issue, by Prof. of the Athens School of Fine Arts, Yannis Gourzis.

World class exhibits of four renowned collectors that have achieved top awards will be on display in the Court of Honour, along with the Large Hermes Heads printing plates, the Solferinos, and other exclusive items.

• Jean Voruz (Monaco), “Geneva from the Cantonal to the Federal Post 1839-1862”, Grand Prix Finlandia 2017
• Stavros Andreadis (Greece), “The ‘Kassandra’ collection. Greece – Large Hermes Heads”, World Stamp Champion Israel 2018
• Wolfgang Bauer (Germany), “Greece – Incoming and outgoing mail and their destinations 1827-1875 up to UPU”, Championship Class Thailand 2018
• Chris King RDP (UK), “The Posts in the city of Lübeck before 1868”, Large Gold China 2019

It is with great pleasure to announce that NOTOS 2021 proceeds according to schedule.

Our visitors in the Zappeion will enjoy a wonderful exhibition of 1400 frames in all Classes, more than 100 titles of Philatelic Literature, plus an impressive Court of Honour. Although the numbers are lower than our initial, pre-Covid-19 target, we are delighted that NOTOS 2021 will be there in November to welcome you.

The vaccination programme in Greece is moving fast and, on 3rd June, it reached 55 vaccinations per 100 people of population. This fact makes us very confident for the situation in November.

Book your flights early and join us to a great philatelic gathering!

This time our meeting was set for Sunday morning 16 May. The National Commissioners had the opportunity to get to know the Zappeion, the recently chosen venue in place of the Peristeri Exhibition Centre, which was taken over by the government in order to be used as a vaccination centre. They were next acquainted with the “Plaka”, the official hotel, which is at walking distance from the exhibition grounds.

Following a brief presentation of the exhibition features, and a demonstration of the on-line software (https://cometonotos.hps.gr), the discussion was focused on the general attitude of the exhibitors to participate in international exhibitions. The acceleration in vaccinations all across Europe day-in day-out will reverse the exhibitors’ reluctance very quickly. In Greece, for example, it took for ever to reach the 20 vaccinations per 100 people mark, but in exactly five weeks before the Meeting we reached 40 vaccinations per 100 people. Right now, we are moving even faster!

Finally, let us remind our exhibitors that the deadline for participation in NOTOS 2021 is 31 May.

On Saturday morning, 6 March, the NOTOS OC held their 1st National Commissioners’ Meeting, over video conference. The idea was to somehow “get around” the long confinement and give the chance to the NOTOS OC members and the National Commissioners to meet, even if in a virtual environment.

The first part of the meeting was dedicated to the on-line software (https://cometonotos.hps.gr) which was thoroughly demonstrated. The second part was a brief PowerPoint presentation of NOTOS 2021, focusing on its general features, its philosophy and its comparative advantages. The third part was spent on questions and answers and to an open discussion between the attendees.

The general feeling as expressed by the audience was that a 2nd meeting should be held at around mid-May.

We are delighted to announce that NOTOS 2021 will accept 2-frame and 3-frame exhibits!

It has been almost twenty years since we first saw One-Frame exhibits in a major exhibition. It was Amphilex 2002, in Amsterdam, another FEPA patronage event, where the One-Frame exhibits were placed in an experimental class.

For most of the exhibitors the 16-page limit is quite convenient, but for others who continue to improve their exhibits year in, year out, it turns out to be a suffocating limit. However, given their narrow scope, these exhibits will never stand a chance to spread themselves into five frames.

Our proposal to accept 2-frame and 3-frame exhibits, as an experiment in the upcoming NOTOS 2021, was welcome by both the FEPA Consultant and the FIP Liaison Officer. The exhibits are going to be judged exactly as if they were One-Frame exhibits, in the sense that their scope and the availability of material guarantee they can never be presented in five frames.

We are continuously looking for innovations in NOTOS 2021, while at the same time we are committed to work for the benefit of the exhibitors.

The amended IREX version 3 (January 2021) is already on line here.

On Wednesday 2 December, the FIP Recognition Agreement was signed. Because of the cancellation of all major philatelic events for so many months in the past and in the near future, it was decided that each of the parties involved will sign the Agreement in each own place of residence. So, Bernard Jimenez, the FIP Vice-President and Liaison Officer for NOTOS 2021 signed it in Paris, while Pantelis Leoussis, Hellenic Philatelic Federation President, and Costas Chazapis, Head of NOTOS 2021 OC signed it in Athens.

The FIP had granted their Recognition to the Hellenic Philatelic Federation and NOTOS 2021 OC on 11 October 2018 in Santiago, Chile.

A few years back, we had the pleasure and honour to host the FEPA Congress in Athens. It was the closing day of NOTOS 2015, our first attempt to stage a major international exhibition.

Next year we shall be honoured to welcome for a second time the delegates and the attendants of the European Federations. The upcoming FEPA Congress is scheduled to take place in Athens on 23 November 2021, following the closure of NOTOS 2021. In view of the cancellation of this year’s Congress, it is understandable that we …can’t wait!

The venue and date of next year’s Congress were confirmed in today’s video conference meeting between the FEPA Board and the European Federations.

In times when everyone is wondering “when” we are getting back in business with exhibiting as we knew it before the pandemic, the least the OC could offer was to push back all NOTOS 2021 important deadlines. The most critical for the exhibitors is the one for their Entry Forms, which was moved from 28 February to 31 May 2021.

Another fair decision of the OC applies to exhibits that have achieved 95 points or more in national exhibitions. These exhibits may apply for participation in NOTOS 2021 for 8 frames, even if they have no prior FIP or FEPA qualification. The decision was based on the fact that during the pandemic, for almost one and a half year, all FIP exhibitions have been either cancelled or postponed to a later date.

These and a few more amendments to the IREX are incorporated in its new version 2, published in September 2020 and already uploaded on the website (Menu: The Show > Regulations).

Click here to open the amended IREX.

In the hospitable offices of one of NOTOS 2021’s Supporters, Boss Informatics, in Nea Smyrni, Athens, on Monday evening of 29 June, the 3rd “NOTOS’ friends” annual gathering took place via video conference.

The live briefings by the O.C. members and the video addresses of the exhibition partners were planned in advance to be roughly two minutes each. Thus, the function was concluded in no more than one hour.

Starting the presentation, the HPS President, I. Chalvatzidopoulos, welcomed the participants, announcing that the exhibition is now under the Patronage of H.E. the President of the Hellenic Republic Ms. Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

Next, followed:
● C. Chazapis, Technology & Partners
● L. Chazapis, Peristeri Exhibition Centre
● Address by Andreas Pachatouridis, Mayor of Peristeri

● N. Mallouchos, Hellenic Post
● Address by George Konstantopoulos, CEO Hellenic Post

● C. Chazapis, A lot more than one exhibition
● N. Mallouchos, NOTOS 2021- Collectables
● C. Gikas, Social program
● A. Virvilis, The typographic plates of the Large Hermes Heads
● Address by Manolis Georgoudakis, Philatelic and Postal Museum

● A. Virvilis, The Genesis of the Hellenic Post, General State Archives
● Address by Ms. Amalia Pappa, Deputy General Director of the General State Archives

● N. Mallouchos, The Genesis of the Hellenic Post, National and Historical Museum
● C. Gikas, Presentations program
● A. Virvilis, The Great Encounter of the Solferinos
● C. Chazapis, Organising Committee
● N. Mallouchos, Hermes Club, Donors
● C. Chazapis, A. Karamitsos Major Sponsor
● Address by Asteris Karamitsos, A. Karamitsos International Auctions

● C. Chazapis, Appeal for donations

The President of the Society, I. Chalvatzidopoulos concluded the meeting thanking the participants, urging exhibitors to participate in the exhibition and wishing all a good summer.