Since 1951, the United Nations has been issuing postage stamps. UN stamps are created by artists internationally. They reflect themes important to the work of the United Nations, such as Peace, Human Rights, Endangered Species, the Environment and World Heritage. UN stamps are small postage ambassadors connecting people around the globe highlighting the works and achievement of the organization.
WORLD HERITAGE – TAJ MAHAL
Date of issue: 16 July 2014
Designer: Rorie Katz (United Nations)
Photo credit: Agefotostock, Getty Images
For many years, UNPA has highlighted world heritage sites recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world in recognition of their outstanding value to humanity.
World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located. Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations.
The Taj Mahal, which is located in the Agra District in Utta Pradesh, India, is widely recognized as “the jewel of Muslim art in India” and is considered one of the most universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE
Date of issue: 21 September 2017
Designer: Stranger & Stranger
Each year on 21 September, the International Day of Peace is observed around the world. The General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, within and among all nations and peoples. The Day’s theme for 2017 is “Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All.”
70TH ANNIVERSARY UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Date of issue: 27 October 2017
Designer: Rorie Katz (United Nations)
The sheet depicts an iconic photograph of Eleanor Roosevelt holding one of the original versions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Each of the three stamps contain, in English, French and German respectively, the entire text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its preamble. The stamps were printed in offset with a micro-printing technique and silver-foil by Joh. Enschedé Stamps Security Printers B.V. (Netherlands).
The CHF 2,00 French stamp has maintained the Guinness World Record for having 1,969 words printed on it.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF NON-VIOLENCE – KNOTTED GUN
Date of issue: 2 October 2018
Description: Knotted Gun
Designer: Rorie Katz (United Nations)
Artists: Martin Mörck, Johan Ernst Nilson, Ringo Starr
In recognition of the International Day of Non-Violence on 2 October, UNPA issued three definitive stamps featuring images of the ‘Knotted Gun’ officially known as the ‘Non-Violence’ sculpture.
The ‘Non-Violence’ sculpture was created in 1980 by the Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd as a tribute to John Lennon. The sculpture is used as a symbol by the Non-Violence Project Foundation, a non-profit organization promoting peace and social change through education; to inspire, motivate and engage young people to understand how to solve conflicts peacefully.
UNITED AGAINST RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION
Date of issue: 19 March 2021
Artwork: Abracadabra Design Studio (Mexico)
Designer: Rorie Katz (United Nations)
The UN Postal Administration issued three mini-sheets of 10 stamps each on the theme “United Against Racism and Discriminations.” The International Day for the Elimination of Racial is celebrated annually on 21 March.
Since its creation in 1945, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has been on the forefront of the fight against racism. In 1978, it adopted the Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice which reaffirms that “All human beings belong to a single species and are descended from a common stock. They are born equal in dignity and rights and all form an integral part of humanity.”
“The Master Class” series artwork which appears on the stamp sheets, was designed by Abracadabra Design Studio (Mexico).
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE – JOHN LENNON – 50TH ANNIVERSARY IMAGINE SOUVENIR SHEET
Date of issue: 21 September 2021
Artist: Martin Mörck (Norway)
Photographer: Bob Gruen (USA)
Designer: Rorie Katz (United Nations)
Each year, the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The United Nations has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. It is an occasion for all of humanity to put aside their differences and contribute to promoting a culture of peace worldwide.
The year 2021 marks the 50th Anniversary of the recording of “Imagine” by the world-renowned musician John Lennon. UNPA commemorated this occasion with the issuance of stamps and souvenir sheets featuring the song lyrics of “Imagine,” John Lennon’s signature and his self-portrait.
This US value souvenir sheet won the 2022 Yehudi Menuhin Trophy for the most popular music stamp award.
ENDANGERED SPECIES
Date of issue: March 2023
Artwork: Rion Wang (China)
Designer: Rorie Katz (United Nations)
For over 30 years, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) has issued stamps to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness of the multitude of benefits that conservation provides to people.
Pictured on this page are four stamps issued by UNPA on 3 March 2023 in New York, to support the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The Convention, which was signed on 3 March 1973, is an international agreement between governments, which regulates trade in nearly 40,000 species worldwide.
