Commemorating the Lunar New Year, the United States Postal Service issued a new Forever Stamp featuring a dragon, the fifth of 12 animals associated with the Chinese lunar calendar.
This colorful stamp is the latest collectible in the Postal Service's Celebrating Lunar New Year series, which began in 2008 with the Year of the Rat. The Year of the Dragon begins today and ends Feb. 9, 2013. The stamp goes on sale today at Post Offices nationwide, online at usps.com and by phone at 800-782-6724.
"The Postal Service is proud to celebrate the Lunar New Year with the issuance of this magnificent Forever Stamp," said USPS Vice President of Sales Cliff Rucker, who dedicated the stamp. "Dragons are regarded as magical or divine, welcome symbols of renewed hope for the future. With this new stamp, we hope that the year will bring the best to all of us, no matter what sign we were born under."
As one of the most diverse employers in America, "the Postal Service is extremely proud of our inclusive environment, an environment that respects the uniqueness of every individual and encourages the contributions of people from different cultures, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives," said Rucker. Nearly 40 percent of the Postal Service's employees are minorities, and of those, nearly 9 percent are Asian American or Pacific Islander.
"Diversity is one of our greatest strengths as an employer, and that diversity embraces a wide range of traditions, including celebrations like Lunar New Year," said Rucker.
Among the distinguished guest speakers joining Rucker to dedicate the stamp were San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee; Organization of Chinese Americans President Clifford Yee; Board of Supervisors President David Chiu; and Organization of Chinese Americans Past President Claudine Cheng. Other key participants were Tony Fong, president, Chinese Chamber of Commerce; Thomas Ng, presiding president, Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association; and Geoffrey Palermo, managing director, Hilton Financial District.
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