On 15 September 2011 MaltaPost issued a miniature sheet in a joint issue with Iceland Post. This philatelic issue has ‘Fishing Villages’ as its theme which captures an important economic and cultural activity that is common to both countries. The village of Húsavík was chosen for the Icelandic miniature sheet while the village of Mġarr, Gozo is depicted on the Maltese sheet. Cedric Galea Pirotta was commissioned by both Iceland Post and MaltaPost to paint both fishing villages.

The Malta issue was limited to 30,000 sheets bearing a face value of €2.07.

The sheet measurements are 120mm x 80mm (and not as previously, erroneously, notified). The stamps in the miniature sheet each measure 44.0mm x 31.0mm with a perforation of 13.9 x 14.0 (comb). All stamps were offset printed by Printex Limited on Maltese Crosses watermarked paper and were available only in miniature sheet format.

The ‘Malta – Iceland’ miniature sheet and its related stationery, were available from Thursday 15 September at all Post Offices in Malta and Gozo, from the Mobile Post Office and from the Philatelic Bureau. The ‘Iceland – Malta’ miniature sheet and First Day Cover, was only be available from the Philatelic Bureau.

Further information is available from the MaltaPost Philatelic Bureau at www.maltaphilately.com, or on 2596 1740.