With the Summer Games of the XXXIII Olympiad in Paris, the Olympic spirit in all its fullness returned to the European continent after a long 12 years. Contrary to the “Games under masks” in Tokyo 2021 without audiences and the well-known accompanying euphoria, the French capital, three years later, offered a spectacle with full stands and a celebration of Olympism in all its aspects. In this “celebration of sport, youth and unity,” a small but successful group of athletes with widely recognized red-and-white squares on their gear fit in excellently.
A commemorative stamp issued by the Croatian Post will serve as a reminder of the greatest multisport event of today, which the “City of Light” hosted for the third time in history. And like Paris, it will “shine” in the collection of every true philatelist, but also in the hands of all those who perceive postage stamps as unique pieces of history. Just as international Olympism does not falter in the faithful implementation of its principles, so does the Olympic edition of the Croatian Post continue to advance. On this occasion, it will offer a valuable continuation of the story of sports perseverance and consistency, despite all the challenges of a turbulent world and other adversities that stand in its way.
The planetary spectacle, enveloped in the Olympic spirit and commemorated on a postage stamp, becomes a frozen moment in the inevitable flow of time and equally so – a lasting memory of the beautiful Paris at a time when it was the “center of the world in the heart of summer” during the Olympic year of 2024.
Vinko Knežević, sports journalist/spokesperson of
the Croatian Olympic Committee
