Mother’s day (عيد الأم) is a national holiday in Syria and across much of the Arab world. Honoring the role of mothers in society, it is celebrated on March 21st, the first day of Spring.
The credit for popularizing Arab Mother’s Day often goes to Egyptian Journalist Mustafa Amin who advocated to commemorate the day to Gamal Abdel Nasser after experiencing the celebration in the United States. The day was first celebrated in Egypt in 1956 due to his efforts.
Syrian Mother’s Day however was first formally celebrated in 1955 on May 13th (see inaugural Syria stamp set below) which aligns closer with the date of celebrations in the West.
1955 Syrian Mothers Day Stamp Set - note the date of May 13th.
I'm uncertain whether the date shifted in 1956 due to Egyptian influences, however the 1957 Syria Mother’s Day Stamp Set is the first official commemoration of the holiday on March 21st. Oddly, the designs by Abandowitz reflect a very occidental aesthetic.
Following the Syrian-Egyptian union (1958), this United Arab Republic (UAR) Arab Mother's Day stamp set from 1960 shares the same design as the 1959 Mother's Day stamp with a printed update reflecting the new year.
1960 United Arab Republic (UAR) Arab Mother's Day stamp set. Get a hi-res framed reprint for your home!
Over the years Syrian Mother's Day and the sacrifices of Mothers more generally have been celebrated through Syrian stamps. Check out the more examples below - I’ll continue adding more examples as I find them.
Happy Mother's Day to all!
Commemorating the sacrifices of Syrian Mothers through Stamp Art.
1955 Syrian Mother and Child - International Children's Day - Syria Stamp Set
1969 Syria Motherhood Stamp - 9th International Congress of Classical Archeology
1980 Syrian Mother's Day Stamp Set - Mother and baby in warm embrace.
1982 Syrian Mothers Day Stamp Set - Mother with Syrian Children Holding Flowers
1984 Syrian Mothers Day Stamp - Idealized in the image of Mother Mary.
1986 Syrian Mothers Day Stamp - Mother with her children in traditional clothes (Abaya). From this year on Syrian stamp art begins to embrace mothers in more traditional attire.
1988 Syrian Mothers Day Stamp - The center of the Syrian family (and nation).
1991, 1992 1993 Syrian Mothers Day Stamps - Seemingly from the same artist, showcasing appreciation and praise of Syrian mothers.
1994 Syrian Mothers Day Stamp – representing the love and sacrifices a mother makes to raise ‘defenders of the nation’.
1995 Syrian Mothers Day Stamp representing the mother the Syrian people and of a thriving and productive nation.
