United Nations Postal Administration marks International Day of Older Persons

By David Hartwig

The United Nations Postal Administration marked this year’s International Day of Older Persons, celebrated annually Oct. 1, with three stamps issued in panes of 10.

Each of the three different panes of 10 features stamps from a different United Nations post office. Stamps denominated 73¢ are from the U.N. headquarters in New York City, stamps denominated 1.90 francs are from the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, and €1.20 stamps are from the Vienna International Center in Vienna, Austria.

The 73¢ stamp depicts a couple dancing, the 1.90fr stamp shows individuals harvesting cabbages, and €1.20 pictures a hospital setting in which a woman is being pushed in a wheelchair.

The United Nations General Assembly designated Oct. 1 as the International Day of Older Persons in 1990. The day aims to raise awareness of the challenges and opportunities associated with an aging global population, a population which is increasing rapidly due to advances in healthcare and living conditions.

Life expectancy now exceeds 75 years for citizens in half of the world’s countries, the United Nations says, and older persons are projected to outnumber youth around the globe by 2030.

According to the United Nations, the number of people aged 65 years or older worldwide is projected to grow to 1.6 billion in 2050, more than doubling from 761 million in 2021. In 1980 that number was around 260 million.

The United Nations and various organizations use Oct. 1 to promote policies and practices that ensure older people live with dignity and respect, while addressing their needs in areas such as healthcare, social protection and housing.

Each year, the International Day of Older Persons focuses on a specific theme to spotlight key issues, such as intergenerational solidarity, the digital divide, or the impact of aging on sustainable development, all with the aim of fostering a more inclusive society for people of all ages.

The theme for 2024 is “Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide.” According to the United Nations, the theme highlights “the urgent need to expand training and educational opportunities in geriatrics and gerontology, address the global shortage of care workers, and recognize the diverse contributions of caregivers.”

Sergio Baradat of the United Nations designed the stamps using illustrations by Christopher Sharp. They were printed in panes of 10 by Joh. Enschede of the Netherlands by hexachrome. The quantities printed are 8,000 of the panes of 10 for each denomination.

Each stamp measures 30 millimeters by 44mm, and each pane of 10 is 170mm by 100mm.

As a part of the Oct. 1 issue, the UNPA offers a souvenir card with one statement by Junhua Li, U.N. Under-Secretary-General for economic and social affairs, and one by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

For ordering information for these new stamps and related products, visit the UNPA website; 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.

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