Pro Patria ‒ Swiss Cultural Heritage

Swiss cultural heritage on stamps

The new Pro Patria stamps showcase what Swiss cultural heritage really is: a wealth of tangible objects and intangible traditions. For decades, Pro Patria has been committed to promoting and preserving Swiss cultural heritage. In this stamp issue, two concepts have been juxtaposed: tangible cultural assets such as buildings and handcrafted objects, and intangible cultural assets such as traditions, knowledge, music and crafts. As Pro Patria itself emphasizes, however, the boundaries between the two are often fluid. Watchmaking, for instance, is the result of intangible craftsmanship, precise knowledge and skill all of which ultimately manifests in a tangible object.

A special design feature connects the two stamps: a Swiss cross is punched out in the center, a striking detail with significant symbolic power. The stamps were created by Swiss designer Sandra Staufer, who currently lives in Brighton. As a Swiss citizen living abroad, she has a heightened awareness of her cultural roots and has condensed what home means to her into just a few square centimetres.