World Post Day, an annual commemoration of mail’s role in the everyday lives of people and businesses, as well as its contribution to global social and economic development, is observed Oct. 9.
This year’s theme is “#TogetherForTrust: Collaborating for a safe and connected future.”
The theme was chosen to address the digital divide among the world’s post offices, according to Masahiko Metoki, director general of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), the specialized United Nations agency that sponsors World Post Day.
“Close to 100,000 of the world’s 650,000 post offices lack adequate internet infrastructure, limiting the services they can provide through digital channels,” Metoki said.
“This means 100,000 communities missing out on a wide range of digital, financial and social inclusion services that these posts could offer.”
A UPU initiative, Connect.post, is designed to rectify this matter.
“The UPU has set an ambitious target: ensuring that every post office has sufficient access to the internet by 2030, to enhance digital inclusion of these underserved communities,” Metoki said.
International Postal Affairs, a USPS department, manages the organization’s global relations and policy development with the UPU.
More information is available on the UPU’s website.