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Preparations continue for PRAGA 98. During its meeting
at MOSCOW 97 the Board of the Federation Internationale
de Philatelie (FIP) unanimously vote to grant FIP
recognition/support to PRAGA 98. This recognition
presupposes that all FIP rules and standards will
be observed and that all members of the jury at PRAGA
98 will have FIP accreditation. The Organizing Committee
initially announced its intention to meet FIP rules
and standards in the Bulletin for PRAGA 98, so there
will be no problem meeting FIP requirements. |
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Speaking of standards, several members, some potential
exhibitors at PRAGA 98, have noted what appears
to be a double standard in the qualifications required
of Czech exhibitors and those required of non-Czech
exhibitors. Specifically, the Exhibition Bulletin
requires that exhibits of foreign collectors have
received at least a vermeil medal in their national
level exhibitions, while Czech exhibits are required
to have received only a silver medal. Lumír
Brendl, the President of the Organizing Committee,
addressed this question in the November 1997 issue
of Filatelie. He explained that the rules of The
Federation of European Philatelic Associations (FEPA)
permit silver medal exhibits from the organizing
country to be shown at exhibits under its sponsorship
with the hope that this will help develop additional
FIP qualifying exhibits. Brendl goes on to say that
in spite of these rules, Czech collectors who wished
to qualify their exhibits for PRAGA 98 had to receive
at least a silver medal in one of several national
level shows which used FIP judging standards. Brendl
points out that having passed through this qualifying
regime the Czech collector had to meet a higher
standard than normally applied in national shows
to attain his silver medal. The significance of
the silver medal level is that any exhibit that
receives a silver medal at a FIP accredited exhibition
qualifies to show at other FIP shows.
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Society
Dinner Planned
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The Board decided that the Society event at PRAGA 98
would be members' dinner the evening of September 9, the
evening before the exhibition opens. It has been scheduled
at 7 P.M. at the restaurant "Na Porcíí."
The menu will be traditional Czech fare with choice of
each of the following: soup, salad, entree, one beverage
(glass of wine, beer, or soft drink), tea or
coffee, and desert. The cost, including gratuity, will
be $15 per person.
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Since the space at the restaurant is limited, reservations
will be taken on a first come first served basis from
Society members and their partners. If space permits,
additional guests will be most welcome. Your reservations
will be firm when our Treasurer, Ed Lehecka, receives
full payment. If members would like to bring additional
guests, they should make this fact known when making their
own reservations. They will be informed whether their
additional guest can also be accommodated as soon as our
space situation is clear.
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| A personal
note here, if I may. Dom Riccio and I came upon this
restaurant quite by accident last Spring when we were looking
for a place to have lunch. We were struck by the number
of engravings and first day covers that decorated the walls.
This fall, since my philatelic curiosity had not been assuaged,
I returned with Lois and we made it our business to find
out about the philatelic connection. It turns out that Mr.
Budárek, our host at "Na Porcíí,"
is the nephew of the well known engraver of Czech stamps,
Jindrich Schmidt. Mr. Budárek has graciously volunteered
to prepare a special exhibit of Schmidt's work for us. How
about that — good food, and philately too! |
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