Today, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) will issue six stamps showcasing the environmental beauty of Canada’s landscape in honour of World Environment Day.
World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5 each year and is the United Nations’ principal means for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment. Since it began in 1974, it has grown to be a broad, global platform for public outreach with participation by more than 100 countries. It also serves as the “people’s day” for doing something positive for the environment, galvanizing individual actions into a collective power that generates a positive impact on the planet.
The 49-cent stamp depicts rock formations at the Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy.
Since 1987, a different country has hosted World Environment Day. This year, Canada is the host of World Environment Day, and the theme is “Connecting People to Nature.”
“In the spirit of this year’s theme, ‘Connecting People to Nature,’ I encourage all Canadians to explore our country’s beautiful natural areas, including our national parks, national wildlife areas, and migratory bird sanctuaries,” said Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna earlier this year.
SIX-STAMP SET
The $1.15 stamp shows a polar bear (Ursus maritimus) on Baffin Island in Nunavut.
The six-stamp World Environment Day set includes two stamps for each United Nations post office, including the post at UN headquarters in New York City (49 cents and $1.15); the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland (one franc and two francs); and the Vienna International Center in Vienna, Austria (€0.68 and €1.70). Each of the six stamps features photographs of Canadian landscapes, and two of the stamps depict animals.
A snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) in Québec is pictured on the one-franc stamp.
SPECIFICATIONS
Stamp size: 50 mm by 35 mm
Stamps per sheet: 20 stamps
Printer: Lowe-Martin
Process: Offset lithography
Perforation: 13.3
Stamp Quantities:
– 49 cents USD: 5,500 sheets (110,000 stamps)
– $1.15 USD: 5,500 sheets (110,000 stamps)
– CHF 1.00: 5,500 sheets (80,000 stamps)
– CHF 2.00: 5,500 sheets (80,000 stamps)
– € 0.68: 5,500 sheets (90,000 stamps)
– € 1.70: 5,500 sheets (90,000 stamps)
Canadian red maple trees and aspens are featured on the two-franc stamps.
The stamps were designed by Sergio Baradat using AGE Fotostock photographs by Bill Gozansky, Michael Nolan, Malcolm Schuyl, Don Johnston, Barret & MacKay, and Roy Langstaff.
For more information, visit unstamps.org/product/world-environment-day-2017.