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Belgica 2001
Exhibition Report by Raymond Todd, Australian Commissioner
Belgica 2001 an FIP World Philatelic Exhibition was staged at the Heysel Exhibition Park (a northern suburban area of Brussels) from 9 to 15 June. The exhibition was funded by the Belgian Post Group who were ably assisted with manpower supplied by the Belgium Federation. The cooperation between the two groups was evident and the smooth running of the exhibition was the appropriate result.
The Heysel Park was easily reached by Metro from central Brussels to the extent that all jurors and commissioners were supplied with metro tickets as their means of getting to and from the exhibition to the anchor hotel, the Metropole. For the commissioners and jury the accommodation provided was entirely adequate being not only close to the Metro but also to restaurants and shops.
The exhibition was well attended as an estimated 10,000 people passed free through the doors which included many groups of school children (8,500). The event was well publicised around Brussels with many posters evident as well as advertising on the Metro and the printed media.
The show seemed to be a happy one with many visitors from nearby European countries who were able to come just for a few days by car or train. Unfortunately there were very few visitors from Asia and some countries did not provide entries or commissioners. The major prizes were:
Grand
Prix National - Luc Joseph Van Pamel: Belgium, The one cent medallion issue of 1861-63;
Grand Prix International - "Balder": Norwegian
Adhesive covers to foreign destinations 1855-77;
Grand Prix FIP Championship -
Ron Brigham: The Province of Canada, the pence issues 1851-68.
Australians did very well at the show viz:.
Australian
Results
[ "SP" denotes Special Prize]
| Edward Wittenberg | Hungary Postal History | Postal History | Large Gold +SP |
| Mark Dankin | New South Wales Sydney Views | Traditional | Large Gold |
| Charles & Stephanie Bromser | Pioneer Rockets | Astrophilately | Large Gold |
| James Johnstone | Victoria Queen on Throne | Traditional | Gold |
| Arthur Gray | Australia George V | Traditional | Gold |
| John Bell | South Australian Postal History | Postal History | Gold |
| Bernard Beston | Queensland Postal History | Postal Stationery | Gold |
| Heinz Weingarten | Germany First Issue | Traditional | Gold |
| John Dibiase | Fiscals of Western Australia | Revenue | Vermeil |
| Marilyn Syme | Radiomania | Thematics | Large Silver |
| Michel Roland | Germany Occupation of Belgium 1914-1918 | Postal History | Large Silver |
| Derek Pocock | Philatelic Crimes of Nicaragua | Open | No Medal Awarded |
[ Source: APF News, October 2001 ]