NZ stamps to recognise Kiwi muslim communities

Ōtautahi- For the first time, in April stamps will be issued to recognise New Zealand’s muslim communities.

Eid al-fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the month of daylight fasting in the Islamic religious calendar.

The annual celebration is the most popular Muslim festival in the world and has been observed in New Zealand for more than 100 years.

Muslims need to observe this event to help appreciate and understand how poor people around the world, muslims and non-muslims, feel when they do not have anything to eat.

The distinctly New Zealand twist on eid al-fitr lies in the coming together of New Zealand’s diverse muslim population into one broader culture, sharing the same prayer spaces for worship and fostering a collective sense of identity.

Eid mubarak, meaning eid blessings, will be issued on April 6, during Ramadan.

The Islamic calendar is predicated on the cycles of the moon, so the exact date of eid al-fitr fluctuates throughout the Gregorian calendar. Muslims will greet each other on this date with the special salutation eid mubarak.

These stamps feature in Arabic calligraphy over the silhouette of a mosque, as well as the Islamic year 1443 AH.

Meanwhile, NZPost has introduced the complete set of discover New Zealand coins, featuring the tūī, Aoraki Mount Cook and kōwhai silver proof coins.

The 2022 New Zealand annual coin is also available now, this year highlighting the endangered species, the endemic Archey's frog.

At a maximum of 37mm in length, the small size of Archey’s frog is reflected to scale in its appearance on this 50mm coin.

Also, five coins have been issued to commemorate the milestone of Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year reign and a small number of the premium gold coins in this issue have become available.

The Islamic calendar is predicated on the cycles of the moon, so the exact date of eid al-fitr  fluctuates throughout the gregorian calendar. Muslims will greet each other on this date with the special salutation eed-mu-bar-ak.

These stamps feature in Arabic calligraphy over the silhouette of a mosque, as well as the Islamic year 1443 AH.

Finally, New Zealand is home to many unique threatened species, including one of the world’s most endangered amphibians.

A living fossil that has barely changed in 150 million years, Archey’s frog is New Zealand’s smallest native frog.

One of four remaining native species of frog, it is the number one Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered amphibian species in the world.