U.N. stamps pay tribute to peacekeepers

By Denise McCarty

The United Nations Postal Administration salutes women in peacekeeping on a pane of 10 se-tenant stamps and labels issued May 29, the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.

The stamps are denominated $1.20 for use from the UNPA post office at the U.N. headquarters in New York City.

The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers is observed on May 29 because it was on that day in 1948 when the first U.N. peacekeeping mission began.

In a video message U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: “Today we honor more than one million men and women who have served as United Nations peacekeepers and the more than 3,900 who have lost their lives in the line of duty. We also express our gratitude to the 95,000 civilian, police and military personnel currently deployed around the world. They are facing one of the greatest challenges ever: delivering on their peace and security mandates while helping countries to address the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Guterres also spoke about this year’s theme of “Women in Peacekeeping: A Key to Peace,” in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

He said that “Women often have greater access in the communities we serve, enabling us to improve the protection of civilians, promote human rights and enhance overall performance yet, women continue to represent only 6 per cent of uniformed military, police, justice and corrections personnel in field missions.”

The new stamps show five different photographs featuring U.N. peacekeeping services around the world and also showing women in peacekeeping roles.

A variety of U.N. peacekeeping vehicles are pictured in the photographs, including land vehicles and a helicopter.

Shown in front of the helicopter are flight lieutenants Nayma Haque and Tamanna-E-Lutfi of Bangladesh, who were deployed in 2017 to serve with the U.N. Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).

The labels all share the same design of the U.N. emblem in white on a blue background. The UNPA reports that the labels can be personalized.

Inscribed above the block of stamps and labels in the pane are “Women in Peacekeeping A Key to Peace” and “29 May International Day of Peacekeepers.” A photograph of South African military medics administering first aid to a child in the Democratic Republic of the Congo also is shown.

The selvage on the left side of the pane includes images of peacekeepers, the U.N. emblem, and a U.N. Peacekeeping emblem of a blue helmet and laurel branch.

The text above these images reads, “A Tribute to the United Nations Peacekeeping Service.”

The paragraph below the images explains the role of U.N. Peacekeepers: “The aim of the United Nations Peacekeeping Service is to help countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace. The Service has unique strengths, including legitimacy, burden sharing and the ability to deploy troops and police from around the world, integrating them with civilian peacekeepers to address a range of mandates set by the Security Council and General Assembly.”

For ordering information, visit the website unstamps.org; email unpanyinquiries@un.org; telephone 212-963-7684 or 800-234-8672; or write to UNPA, Box 5900, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163-5900.

The UNPA has posted the following notice on its website: “Important information and alert: Please note that your orders and/or mail may be impacted or delayed due to the restrictions at the United Nations Headquarters and the United Nations office in Vienna as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. We are, however, committed to process and fulfill your orders as soon as we can. If there’s any question, please email us at unpanyinquiries@un.org or UNPA-Europe@un.org or UNPA-ASIA@un.org. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”

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