The UNPA would be releasing a set of 15 special postage stamps on 24th June to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the International Labour Organization. They are designed as three se-tenant strips of five and printed in sheets of 20. Five 55¢ stamps are for use from the U.N. headquarters in New York City; five 1 franc stamps are for use from the Palais des Nations in Geneva, and five 0.80 stamps are for use from Vienna International Centre.

Illustrated by American artist Owen Smith, the 55¢ and 1fr stamps depict farm labourers, a welder, a fisherman, garment workers, office workers riding in a subway car and a labour strike. One 0.80 stamp depicts a labour strike and the remaining four stamps from the same strip highlight the accomplishments of the ILO and its history. Nobel Peace Prize is featured on one stamp as ILO had received the esteemed award in 1969. ILO’s headquarters in Geneva is featured on a stamp. Three symbolic keys representing the ILO’s tripartite is featured on another stamp. The first director general of the ILO, Albert Thomas is depicted on one stamp.

The stamps were printed by Joh. Enschede from the Netherlands by offset lithography. 20,000 sheets of 20 each of the 55¢ and 0.80 stamps and 18,000 sheets of 20 of the 1fr stamps are printed. A souvenir card shows new stamps and a statement by the secretary-general of the UN, Antonio Guterres, and director general of the ILO, Guy Ryder. A total of 6,000 cards were printed and they are available in mint or cancelled condition.

The ILO was founded in 1919 after the end of a devastating war. The organisation believes that peace can only be attained if there is social justice. ILO became the first specialized agency of the United Nations in 1946 and is the only tripartite U.N. agency. The ILP offers an equal voice to workers, employers and governments and promotes the idea of offering decent work for all women and men.

The stamp illustrator, Smith has been influenced by the murals that were made during the Great Depression period, highlighting "dignity of labour". His work shows the drama of life with a dark twist and has been featured on magazine covers, in books, in exhibits, and on murals in a New York City subway station and other locations.

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Image Courtesy: The UNPA