Swiss Post pays tribute to Solar Impulse
Swiss Post is paying tribute to Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg for their Solar Impulse 2 project with a commemorative stamp. The two Swiss pilots have flown around the world in 17 stages in a solar-powered aircraft. The Solar Impulse stamp in a special format is now available at all larger post offices.
On 9 March 2015, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg took off from Abu Dhabi to circumnavigate the globe in their solar-powered aircraft Solar Impulse 2. All in all, the two Swiss pilots covered a distance of 35,000 kilometres without consuming a single drop of fuel. On 26.07.2016 (CET), Solar Impulse 2 landed safely in Abu Dhabi. For Piccard and Borschberg, the project wasn’t about setting a new world record, but about using their successful circumnavigation of the globe to demonstrate that a transition to responsible and sustainable energy is possible. At the same time their aim is to raise awareness among the general public about the use and promotion of renewable energies. According to Piccard, Solar Impulse 2 should be understood not only as an aircraft, but also as an economic, environmental and scientific message and icon.
Swiss Post is paying tribute to the extraordinary achievement of Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg and to the visionary ambitions of the project with a commemorative stamp. The stamp has a face value of one franc and is being issued in a special format and in the form of sheets of eight stamps. The stamp is available at all larger post offices from now. Over the past twelve years, Swiss Post has dedicated other commemorative stamps to the Swiss national ice hockey team (31 May 2013, runner-up at world championships), Roger Federer (10 April 2007, longest uninterrupted run as ATP no. 1), and the Alinghi sailing team (7 March 2004, victory in the America’s Cup).
