School children will be among the first New Zealanders to make their mark on the APEC Leaders, at the launch of the APEC New Zealand 99 stamp today.

Prime Minister Jenny Shipley launched the stamp today at Auckland’s Royal Oak Primary School, where students from Room 19 have been writing to various APEC Leaders. Their letters will be handed over to a postie today with the first batch of APEC 99 stamps attached.

“APEC New Zealand 99 is both a chance to shape New Zealand’s future and to show ourselves off to the world, and the APEC stamp is a celebration of this opportunity,” the Prime Minister said.

“It is also a useful reminder of the fact that this is New Zealand's year in the APEC Chair as we build up to the main event on the APEC 99 calendar, the Leaders’ Meeting in Auckland in September," she said.

Students have written to the Presidents of the United States of America, Mexico, China and the Prime Minister of Australia - all of whom are expected to attend the APEC Leaders’ Meeting in September. Some students also wrote to the First Lady of the United States of America, Hilary Rodham-Clinton, and the Clinton's daughter, Chelsea.

Some students read their letters aloud to Mrs Shipley and their classmates before posting them. Mrs Shipley also helped students address their letters to leaders, and spoke to them about the importance of APEC 99.

The forty cent APEC stamp goes on issue from 21 July. It will be available from all New Zealand Post Shops until 7 September.

ENDS

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