Special stamp unveiled in honour of 25 years of marriage equality and WorldPride Amsterdam
De Nieuwe Kerk and Stichting Pride Amsterdam count down to the start of the largest Pride ever
The countdown to WorldPride 2026 has begun. Especially in honour of this largest Pride celebration ever in our country and to celebrate 25 years of marriage equality, PostNL is releasing a special stamp. You can order it at the bottom of this article!
This week marks exactly 25 years since the Netherlands became the first country in the world to open marriage to everyone. In Amsterdam, four couples exchanged vows precisely at midnight on 1 April 2001, with the then-mayor Job Cohen officiating these first four weddings.
largest pride celebration ever
The celebration of the silver wedding anniversary is one of the reasons why WorldPride 2026 is taking place in Amsterdam. During this largest Pride celebration ever held in our country, activists from all over the world will come together in the fight for equal rights.
From protest marches, human rights conferences, gatherings, and festive activities, the Netherlands will once again be in the spotlight in July and August to bring hope and connection.
special stamp
With the ringing of the wedding bells, the stamp was unveiled on Wednesday 1 April in De Nieuwe Kerk, which will now travel the world as a memento of WorldPride Amsterdam.
Noud Wegmans, director of commerce mail, and Jeroen Weers, chairman of PostNL Pride, presented the first copy to Jan Wolter Wabeke and Boris Dittrich, who as activists were at the forefront of marriage equality and are now committed to WorldPride in the recommendation committee and the advisory board, respectively. They share their determination and knowledge with the new generation of activists.
the design
The design of the stamp reflects the diversity of the community and the celebration of the marriage anniversary. Creator Martin Cadwallader delivered the cheerful and clear design. In each strip, this graphic designer has given a kaleidoscopic interpretation of the colours and shapes of a different flag from the lhbtiqa+ world.
The strips together form a playful whole. Below the strips are patterns that match cultures that come together in the Netherlands. This gives the sheet an energetic appearance that suits WorldPride. In the design, you see pangi motifs from Suriname, flowers from Aruba and Curaçao, batik from Indonesia, Moroccan shapes, and Turkish tulips. Dutch motifs such as flowers and Delft blue also appear. This shows how all these cultures strengthen each other.
pride month leading up to worldpride
pride month starts in amsterdam on 8 july and lasts until 8 august 2026. the start will take place in de nieuwe kerk with the opening of the exhibition queer amsterdam, the pink city.
this exhibition highlights the history and culture of the queer community in amsterdam. this was announced today by paul mosterd (director of de nieuwe kerk) and lucien spee de castillo ruiz (stichting pride amsterdam). the exhibition will be on display from 9 july 2026 to 4 april 2027.
worldpride programme
worldpride amsterdam starts on 25 july and lasts until 8 august 2026. the programme will become increasingly visible on the website worldpride.amsterdam in the coming months. organisers can also register their events there from now on.
tickets are already available for special concerts at the museumplein and on 1 july the pride vignette for the boats along the canal parade will go on sale via www.botenparade.nl.
order your worldpride amsterdam 2026 stamps here
the worldpride amsterdam 2026 stamp sheet consists of 5 stamps with value 1 for mail up to 20 grams within the netherlands. a sheet costs € 7.00. you can buy it at post offices in bruna stores, via the postnl website or via collect club on 088 - 868 99 00. the validity is indefinite.
