Modern international post speaks 6,800 languages and is the world’s longest physical message delivery network. The Evolution of Post: From Foot Couriers to Cyberspace Culture and Education
On October 9, many countries celebrate World Post Day – on this date in 1874 in Bern, Switzerland, the creation of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) was announced. The establishment of this holiday was officially announced from the rostrum of the UPU Congress, held in 1969 in Tokyo. This year, the Universal Postal Union celebrates its 150th anniversary.
History of Mail
The history of mail is interesting for its gradual development – from primitive messaging systems to the emergence of modern digital mail service.
Thousands of years ago, people used sound and visual signals – the beating of drums and smoke from large fires – to transmit messages over long distances. Tam-tams are still used for communication by some African tribes.
The next step in the development of communication in human history was the use of messengers on foot, and later on horseback. In Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Persia, China and the Roman Empire, there was a well-established postal service: written messages were sent along pre-established routes by couriers on the relay principle. In the Eastern Roman Empire, state post existed until the middle of the first millennium AD.
In medieval Europe, post began to develop again thanks to royal couriers. In parallel, there was monastic and university postal service.
Modern centralized post arose in Europe with the strengthening of state power. In 1464, the King of France Louis XI established the service of royal couriers. A network of stations for changing post horses was established throughout the country.
With the advent of the railway and telegraph, the work of postal services was significantly accelerated. In 1820, the envelope was invented by a paper merchant from Brighton, England. In 1840, the first postage stamp, the Penny Black, was introduced in Great Britain, which simplified and accelerated the process of sending letters. In the 20th century, air mail transportation appeared, which further reduced delivery time.
Present Days
Modern mail includes not only the sending of traditional letters, postcards and parcels, but also the exchange of electronic messages. The digitalization of postal services allows people to send and receive information almost instantly. It is an essential aspect of communication that continues to evolve in an era of rapid advances in communications technology.
Today’s international post speaks 6,800 languages and is the world’s longest physical message delivery network. More than 1.5 billion people worldwide – about a third of the world’s adult population – access basic financial services, including payments and money transfers, through the postal service. With a network of 650,000 branches and 5.3 million employees worldwide, the international post is unparalleled in its ability to serve everyone, everywhere.
In 2015, countries committed to working together to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to end poverty and hunger, fight injustice and inequality, and combat climate change. In contributing to this global effort, the post plays a more vital role than ever before, providing a reliable infrastructure for information exchange and for economic and social development.