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UNESCO "United against racism and discrimination" stamp receives honourable award from La Poste in France

The "United against racism and discrimination" stamp – launched in September 2021 by La Poste, the French Post Office, in close cooperation with UNESCO's Social and Human Sciences Sector – was selected for the 31st edition of La Poste’s Stamp Awards Ceremony. In the “most beautiful stamp 2021” category, it received the third prize during the "Stamp Election 2021" evening organized on 23 June 2022.

UNESCO is honoured to receive this award. The stamp visualises some of the core values of the Organization and the fight we are waging against racism. UNESCO thanks La Poste once again for its trust and commitment in the fight against racism and discrimination, and in helping to bring this message to every corner of France and beyond.

Gabriela RamosAssistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO

The stamp is based on the visual identity of UNESCO's Master Class Series against Racism and Discrimination, which raises awareness among young people and their teachers about the mechanisms underlying racism and discrimination. Following the resurgence of racism and discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic, this highly symbolic stamp is crucial to increase the visibility of UNESCO's actions in the fight against these scourges.

The stamp reflects the ground-breaking work of the Social and Human Sciences Sector to strengthen the fight against racism and discrimination following the "Global Call against Racism" of December 2020, and the 1st edition of the Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination (March 2021). The second edition of this Forum will take place in Mexico City on 28 and 29 November 2022.

According to Benito Cabañas, author of the stamp's visual identity, the objective of the stamp is to castigate intolerance and "express the idea of being together, of being tolerant, of sharing our differences within a single society".

Also in 2021, the same visual identity was used by the UN Postal Administration on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (21 March).