If the "Bofill Year 2023" began with the issue of the postage stamp that Correos dedicated to the 50th Anniversary of the building of La Muralla Roja in Calpe, this one ends with stamps as protagonists. Exficalp 2023 starts next Tuesday 5th December, ready to be the closing event of this brilliant year 2023, in which month after month a series of activities have been carried out to highlight the figure of the Catalan architect Mr. Ricardo Bofill Levi, as well as the architectural legacy that he left in Calpe and that are a world reference.
With this edition of EXFICALP, Calpe's philately has not only tried to close a great philatelic year, but has also considered it fair that the other buildings of the "Bofill" legacy, have their philatelic-postal stamp, and to this end, the Post Office has been asked to issue a whole postcard in which, with the stamp already printed, the Red Wall itself appears, as well as the Xanadu, the Plexus, the iconic Amphitheatre, and even that window that reminds us of what was once the Social Club, which today is on everyone's lips.
EXFICALP 2023, has the collaboration of both the Bofill Year 2023 Commission, and the Department of Culture of the M. I. Ayuntamiento de Calpe, and the valuable help of the staff of the Casa de Cultura Jaume Pastor i Fluixà of Calpe, as well as the unconditional support of the Federation of Philatelic Associations of the Valencian Community (FASFILCOVA).
But as it is also 100 years since the construction of the "Cuartel de Carabineros de la Fossa", a building now in disuse but still standing, and it so happens that 25 years ago, this almost forgotten and unknown building was already the subject of the III EXFICALP, an exhibition dedicated to the same subject but on its 75th Anniversary.
For this occasion, the commemoration will also include a personalised stamp authorised by the Post Office for use on both postal and collectible items, a stamp that will be incorporated into the postal history that has been generated over the years around the history, gastronomy, and culture of Calpe.
EXFICALP 2023, will be in the Exhibition Hall of the Ajuntament Vell of Calpe, and will have a very varied set of collections coming from many parts of Spain, and even from Portugal, which offer the visitor a generic vision of what is the postal collecting nowadays. A total of 10 collections will give a broad view of what can be collected, many of them the result of years of work and dedication on the part of the collector.
Parallel to this philatelic exhibition, the aim is to continue to disseminate the architectural work of Ricardo Bofill, and for this purpose we have had the special collaboration of the Foto Club Ifach, who have loaned some of the photographs that were exhibited in the Casa de Cultura of Calp and that now the citizens of Calp and visitors will have the opportunity to see and contemplate them again.
As in previous editions, EXFICALP is positioned as one of the most attractive cultural activities in the month of December, and for this year a series of events have also been planned, including the inauguration on the evening of Tuesday 5 December at 20:00, where the philatelic-postal material that Correos will put into circulation for the occasion will be presented.
Another of the main events of this edition of EXFICALP will be the Philatelic Exchange Day scheduled for the morning of Friday 8th, a festive day which will be used to carry out one of the activities most in demand by collectors.
For the rest of the days, the programme will be completed by activities aimed at philatelic dissemination such as guided tours of the exhibition, where philatelic monitors will explain each of the collections on display, talks and philatelic gatherings where philately and current affairs will be the focus of the debate generated, and for children, a letter-writing workshop, where letters will be addressed to the "Three Kings", where prizes will also be awarded to the most unique and original ones. This activity is aimed not only at children, but also at anyone who would like to write a letter to the Three Wise Men, regardless of their age.
As a novelty in this edition of EXFICALP, is the celebration of the "International Philatelic Exchange", which will take place on Sunday 17th from 10 am, in the Bar of the Tennis Club of Calp, and which aims to be a monthly meeting of philatelists from all over the world, for which has been set as a day of celebration, the 3rd Sunday of each month, on the same stage.
EXFICALP 2023 will close its doors on 30th January 2024, and will do so in the knowledge that philately has had its place in a year, which is almost over, that has been a reference in terms of organisation and participation.