2024 FEPA AWARDS PROGRAM – GUIDELINES

According to Art. 9.7 of the FEPA Statutes, “the Board shall define and maintain guidelines for awarding the FEPA Medals and Certificates”.

In its videoconference on 27/09/2024, the Board approved the following Guidelines, valid for the 2024 Awards program.

1. The FEPA Medal for Exceptional Service
1.1. Candidates nominated for this award must be individuals (not teams or groups of persons) who have provided over time outstanding (i.e., quality) service to European philately extending beyond purely national achievements. Other philatelic merits (e.g., study and research, exhibiting awards, publications, years of service) per se do not constitute a reason for the award.
1.2. Only FEPA members can submit nominations using the form on https://fepanews.com/fepaawards/guidelines/ by 10 December 2024 at the latest.
1.3. Nominations are also valid for the next two years, provided the submitting members confirm them in due time.
1.4. Only one medal may be awarded for exceptional service every year. However, an additional medal may be awarded “in memoriam” if a suitable nomination is made.
1.5. Due to its nature, this award may be given only once to the same person.

2. The FEPA Medal for Exceptional Support
2.1. Candidates nominated for these awards must be individuals (not teams or groups of persons) not directly involved with organised philately, who have provided outstanding (i.e., quality) support to European philately extending beyond purely national achievements. For example, government officials, managers of postal or philatelic services, museum curators, stamp designers, etc.).
2.2. Only FEPA members can submit nominations using the form on https://fepanews.com/fepaawards/guidelines/ by 10 December 2024 at the latest.
2.3. Nominations are valid only for the year concerned.
2.4. Only one medal may be awarded for exceptional support every year.
2.5. Due to its nature, the award may be given only once to the same person.

3. The FEPA Medal for Exceptional Philatelic Study and Research
3.1. Candidates nominated for this award must have authored a publication appearing in print or otherwise during 2023 and 2024. The medal recognises outstanding philatelic study and research concerning any aspect of philately, which does not necessarily have to be on a European theme.
3.2. The publication should demonstrate high professional standards and stand as a model at the European level of how research on a philatelic subject should be generated and presented.
3.3. In case the research is structured on more volumes, only that (those) published in the period concerned will be considered.
3.4. Only FEPA members can submit nominations using the form on https://fepanews.com/fepaawards/guidelines/ by 10 December 2024 at the latest.
3.5. Nominations are valid only for the year concerned. Hence, publications that were nominated for the 2023 Research Medal cannot be proposed again.
3.6. The medal may be awarded to more than one work, or none, in any particular year.
3.7. When a publication is authored by more writers, the medal is awarded to a maximum of two authors; in case of a larger number, only the leader will receive the medal, and all other co-authors will be given a certificate of appreciation. The other candidates may receive a certificate of appreciation, depending on the quality of their entries.
3.8. Due to the breadth of subjects and related competencies required to assess the research, the Board will appoint a panel of experts to advise on the nominations. Such appointments shall be made depending on the research content, and the panel will serve just for this year’s selection process.
3.9. To facilitate such an assessment, publications must be presented as a PDF file that will be circulated to the panel’s members and the FEPA Board members. Such a file should be sent concurrently with the nomination form. It is at the discretion of the nominees to additionally submit a paper copy of the work, which, after the assessment, will be donated to a philatelic institution chosen by the Board.

4. The Certificate of Appreciation for Philatelic Societies
4.1. Candidates nominated for this award must be philatelic societies (not member federations) in recognition of their outstanding activities promoting and supporting philately and services to the local community.
4.2. Only FEPA members can submit nominations using the form on https://fepanews.com/fepaawards/guidelines/. Nominations can be presented at any time during the year for consideration by the Board, which will decide on the proposal as soon as possible.
4.3. The Board encourages and expects Member Federations to make proposals for the Certificates of Appreciation. It is known that many deserving societies exist and will be pleased to award them the Certificate. As the Statutes do not limit the number of Certificates to be delivered yearly, the Board will award as many Certificates as are justified by the nominations.

5. The Certificate of Appreciation for Individuals
5.1. Candidates nominated for this award must be individuals in recognition of their longstanding engagement in supporting organised philately nationally but with an apparent involvement in European philately. Other philatelic merits (e.g., study and research, exhibiting awards, publications, years of service) per se do not constitute a reason for the award.
5.2. All FEPA members can submit nominations using the form available on https://fepanews.com/fepaawards/guidelines/. Nominations can be presented at any time during the year for consideration by the Board, which will decide on the proposal as soon as possible.
5.3. The FEPA Board is also entitled to present this award as appreciation for a particular service rendered, such as managing the organisation of an international exhibition supported by FEPA.

6. Presentation of Awards
6.1. In principle, medals will be presented at the yearly FEPA Congress.
6.2. Certificates will be mailed to the nominating Federation, and it is strongly recommended that the award is presented formally to the recipients at an important philatelic event.

7. General provisions
All nominees nominated by the member Federations must sign a form accepting the nomination. All communications between the FEPA Board and the nominating FEPA member are via email. The FEPA reference address for this program, in particular for sending the nomination forms and the PDF files, is awards@fepanews.com

NOMINATION DOCUMENTS

The FEPA Medals for Exceptional Service or Support

The FEPA Medal for Exceptional Philatelic Study and Research

The Certificate of Appreciation

DEADLINES FOR FEPA MEDALS

Call for Nominations	10 October 2024
Presentation of Nominations	10 December 2024
Decision of the Board	First Board meeting in 2025
Announcement of Awards	First FEPA Newsletter after such Board meeting
Presentation of Awards	FEPA Congress at Europhilex Birmingham 2025

DEADLINES FOR FEPA CERTIFICATES

Nomination may be submitted at any date