Canada Post releases new stamp celebrating Muslim festival

TORONTO – Canada Post has released a stamp featuring Middle Eastern cookies to commemorate an annual festival that marks the end of a holy month for Muslims.

The Crown corporation said Thursday that Canadians can use the stamps to send greetings ahead of Eid al-Fitr, an Islamic festival in April that follows Ramadan, a holy month many Muslims spend fasting from sunrise to sunset and volunteering for charities.

The stamps feature cookies called maamouls that are baked and consumed by Muslims across the world during times of celebration and can be traced back to ancient Egypt.

“Melt-in-your-mouth cookies stuffed with a delicious walnut, pistachio or date filling, maamoul are a sweet staple during Eid celebrations,” Canada Post wrote in a statement.

“The stamp was issued today, so that it can be used to send greetings before the festival.”

Canada Post said its latest stamp is the sixth one it has released to commemorate Eid.

“The Eid stamp is one of several stamps Canada Post issues each year to mark annual celebrations important to Canada’s culturally diverse population – others include Diwali, Hanukkah and Christmas,” it said.

Canada Post said its latest stamp can also be used to celebrate the Muslim festival called Eid al-Adha in June, which marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 28, 2024.