From https://worldpostcardday.com/history:
In 1902, the British Post Office allowed messages to be written on one half of the side normally reserved for the address, paving the way for the divided back era of postcards. This left the reverse side of the card free to be completely filled with an image. However, these postcards could not be sent abroad until other Universal Postal Union members agreed to do the same. An agreement on the matter was reached at the Sixth Postal Union Congress in Rome, in 1906.
From https://www.upu.int/en/Universal-Postal-Union/About-UPU/History:
October 9, 1874 – a day now celebrated throughout the world as World Post Day – the Treaty of Bern, establishing the General Postal Union was signed. Membership in the Union grew so quickly during the following three years that its name was changed to the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1878. The UPU became a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1948.
Belgium joined the Union in 1875.

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first posted 6/2/2009