Prague, undoubtedly the most beautiful city in Europe, will again be host to an international philatelic exhibition. PRAGA 98 will take place from Thursday, September 10 through Sunday, September 13, 1998, and will be held in the Trade Fair Palace which currently houses the modern arts collection of the National Gallery.

The exhibition will be organized, under the patronage of the federation of European Philatelic Associations (FEPA), by the Union of Czech Philatelists jointly with the Czech Post. PRAGA 98 will be a general philatelic exhibition which will conform to all FIP regulations in the organization and judging of all recognized competitive classes. The international jury will be composed exclusively of FIP accredited judges.

The ground floor of the Trade Palace will house 2000 frames, each holding 16 standard pages, in one large exhibition area. In addition to the exhibits of philatelic collections and literature from invited member FEPA countries, plus the United States, Israel, and several other countries, visitors will find exhibits from various postal authorities, the Czech Postal Museum, as well as sale booths of Czech and foreign stamp dealers. The Czech Post will issue a number of stamps over the next two (2) years to publicize the exhibit. The theme of PRAGA 98 will be Czechoslovak and Czech related philately, including stamps, postal history, aerophilately, and related thematic exhibits. Of course, all other quality exhibits in all categories will be welcome.

PRAGA 98, like its predecessors, commemorates the anniversary of the issuance of the first stamp of independent Czechoslovakia in 1918, depicting the Hradcany castle and designed by Alfons Mucha. This exhibition maintains the long standing tradition, begun in 1938, of hosting a major international philatelic exhibition in Prague every decade. This will be the first international philatelic exhibition in Prague since the Velvet Revolution and the fall of communism.

PRAGA 98 Bulletins are currently in preparation and will be distributed as soon as received. Collectors interested in exhibiting at PRAGA 98 should e-mail the PRAGA Commissioner for the United States, Jaroslav J. Verner, for applications.