United Nations, iSRAEL pOST issue Holocaust REMEMBRANCE StampS

Today, the United Nations Postal Administration is launching a new stamp in observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

The stamp, incorporating the award-winning logo of the United Nations Department of Public Information’s “Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach Programme”, is being launched simultaneously for the very first time with a national stamp issued by the Israel Postal Company.  The United Nations Offices in Geneva and Vienna will also issue a first day cover for the stamp.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that the stamp “demonstrates the commitment of the United Nations to pay tribute to all the victims of the Holocaust, honour the survivors, and reaffirms its efforts to help prevent future acts of genocide.  In this way, we can help inspire succeeding generations to overcome hatred and bigotry.  I am proud Israel joins us by issuing of a national stamp carrying the same design, encouraging us to revere remembrance and look to a century free of barbarism,” he said.

Welcoming this new partnership with the United Nations, Ariel Atias, Israel’s Minister for Communication, said, “The joint issue of a stamp by the United Nations and Israel in observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust represents an important step in worldwide efforts to ensure that the Holocaust will not be forgotten.  That event stands as a warning to us all that if we are not vigilant, hatred and racism could emerge once again.  The State of Israel deeply appreciates the actions of the United Nations and the United Nations Secretary-General to combat anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial.”

The United Nations stamp will be issued in denominations of 41 cents, 0.85 Swiss francs and €0.65 at United Nations Headquarters in New York, and the United Nations Offices in Geneva and Vienna, respectively.  The national stamp, issued by the Israel Postal Company in Hebrew, is in a denomination of 4.6 shekels.  United Nations Postal Administration has also made available a joint silk first day coversheet featuring all three United Nations stamps in English, French and German, cancelled with the first day of issue postmarks.

The stamps were designed by the United Nations Department of Public Information utilizing the logo of the Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach Programme, which, as mandated by General Assembly resolution 60/7 of 1 November 2005, aims to mobilize civil society for Holocaust remembrance and education, in order to help to prevent future acts of genocide.  Please see www.un.org/holocaustremembrance for more information.

The United Nations Postal Administration issued its first stamps in dollar denominations on 24 October 1951.  The stamps were an immediate success and sold out within days.  The United Nations is the only organization in the world which is neither a country nor a territory that is permitted to issue postage stamps.

Contacts:  Kimberly Mann, Chief of the Advocacy Unit, tel.:  212 963 6835, e-mail:  mann@un.org; Robert Gray, Chief of the United Nations Postal Administration, tel.:  212 963 0827, e-mail:  gray3@un.org; Merav Lapidot, Spokesperson, Israel Post Company, tel.:  972 54 288 8808, e-mail:  meravla@postil.com

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For information media • not an official record