Equality

The terms “equality” and “equal rights” are widely recognised. Indeed, for many years they have been enshrined in law in many countries of the Western world. But is that enough? How can a society practise true equality? As early as the 6th century B.C., the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu stated: “To regard differences as equality, that is true greatness.”

We approach this theme with the new special stamp “equal=equal” (face value: CHF 2.40). As just one of countless examples of the challenges surrounding the subject of equality, we have chosen Braille, a tactile writing system developed for visually impaired people. The equals sign (=) is graphically depicted once in Braille and once in black print. The neon yellow background draws the viewer’s attention to the sign.

The individual Braille characters consist of six dots, three arranged vertically and two horizontally. These form the grid for the combinations with which letters, numbers and other characters are represented. For correct legibility of the character on the special stamp, the upper two dots were punched and the lower four dots were raised.