Every year, Ukrposhta, together with the European postal administrations, participates in the issuance of postage stamps under the Europe program, the theme of which for 2022 was chosen "Stories and Myths". This year, the EUROPA stamps will be issued a little late - on November 22, because despite the full-scale war, it is important for Ukraine to continue to participate in the EUROPA program, promoting the culture, art and artists of Ukraine, which is rich in talents, all over the world.

This year's Ukrainian issue is dedicated to the images of the ancient Slavic gods Svarog and Lada and is represented by two stamps. The issue also includes an envelope "First Day". The nominal value of each stamp is A (equivalent to $1), the cost of a stamp sheet is equivalent to $6. The circulation of stamps is 180 thousand copies each.

You can buy new stamps at the Ukrposhta offices and in the postal market on the Ukrposhta website. Also, all owners of philatelic subscriptions, who have made timely payment for the products, are guaranteed to have these issues in their collection.

The author of the stamps and envelope "First Day" is Mykola Kochubey, Honored Artist of Ukraine, author of many Ukrainian postal issues. The artist used signs on the sketches, which, being woven into the plot, turn symbols into images. Thus, the sign of Svarga is encoded in the festive women's round dance and in the rapid running of horses, and in the double helix of DNA - endless movement and the process of evolution.

The beliefs of the ancient Slavs were directly related to the forces of nature, the seasons, agricultural cycles, animals, agricultural life and various crafts. In their religious beliefs, the Slavs had a clearly defined pantheon of gods.

Svarog is the god of fire and blacksmithing. It is believed that he is the creator of the Universe, the Earth, all animals on it and people. He is the ancestor of other gods, the male embodiment of the genus, establishes marriage laws. For the first time Svarog is mentioned in the "Tale of Bygone Years" - the oldest chronicle dated back to the XII century. Svarog is also associated with a sign in the form of a cross - Svarga, which is a symbol of holiness and spiritual power.

Lada is the goddess of motherhood, world order and harmony, love, marriage and spring. According to legend, she was the wife of the god Svarog and the mother of Lela and Polel (gods of youth and love). In Slavic mythology, Lada is a central character, represented as a beautiful woman, decorated with roses and spikelets. Her name is mentioned in ancient Ukrainian vesniankas.

As a reminder, Ukrainian postage stamps have been repeatedly awarded at the PostEurop competition. Thus, in 2019, postage stamps on the theme "Birds": "White Stork" and "Eastern Nightingale" by Natalia Kokhal won gold in the competition "Best Postage Stamp of Europe 2019 - Collector's Choice". In 2020, the Ukrainian postage stamp on the theme "Ancient Postal Routes" "Postman Fedir Feketa" by Iryna Medvedovska won silver in the competition "Best Postage Stamp of Europe 2020 - Jury's Choice", and in 2021, the postage stamp "Cry of the Carpathians" won a bronze award in this competition. It should also be noted that at the very beginning of the full-scale invasion, at the initiative of Ukrposhta, the theme of the annual Europe-2023 competition was changed to "Peace is the highest value of humanity!".