#474 Poland...Thanks Juris!

This souvenir sheet was issued in 2008 celebrating World Stamp Show - EFIRO 2008.

The first EFIRO (Romanian Philatelic Exhibition) had taken place in 1932 on an occasion of the 70th anniversary of unification of the Moldavian and Multanian Post Services. That event was inspired by the "Philatelic Tribune" magazine, and was carried out under patronage of the king Carol II.

The occasion to organize the next EFIRO Exhibition (1998) had been given by the 150th anniversary of 1848 revolution and the 140th anniversary of issue the first Romanian post stamp. Finally the third EFIRO Exhibition (September, 2004) took place on an occasion of the 130th anniversary of establishing the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in connection to its 23rd congress.

The actual EFIRO exhibition is therefore the fourth one in that line, accompanying at the same time the World Philatelic Exhibition, being hosted by Romania for the first time. The exhibition organized under the motto "Time goes by, stamps remain" was held in an exhibition centre Romexpo on June 20-27, 2008, where one day after its final conclusion the FIP (Fédération Internationale de Philatélie) congress was assembled.

Immediately on the opening day of the EFIRO 2008 exhibition Poczta Polska has issued the stamp in block, featuring an open envelope, out of which the fragment of the Romanian Athenaeum building can be seen. Off the stamp's frame there is an image of fountain-pen with its nib decorated with the engraved aurochs' head.

The concert hall, built partially thanks to the public subscription to become a national temple of sciences and art. Currently it is a home of the Romanian Philharmonic. Nowadays the Atheneaum is a symbol of the national tradition and culture in dominated by the social-realistic architecture Bucharest. It was built at the end of the 19th century in neoclassical style by the design of French architect, A. Galleron.