A postcard from each corner of the World
The United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV), locally known as “UNO City,” is one of the four official UN headquarters. The UN in Vienna is known for its focus on specific global issues, including peaceful uses of outer space (UNOOSA), nuclear energy (IAEA), and combating drugs, crime, and terrorism (UNODC). The most famous attraction is the Vienna International Centre itself, which offers guided tours and showcases a real piece of moon rock.
Postcard photo by Wolfgang Weitlaner.
The United Nations has its own postal administration, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA), which issues unique stamps and postal stationery. The UNPA was created in 1950, and the first stamps were issued in 1951. It has offices in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and it’s the only postal authority in the world that issues stamps in three different currencies: US dollars, Swiss francs, and euros. These stamps are valid for postage only on mail sent from the respective UN offices. Their dual mandate is to generate revenue for the organization and to raise awareness about the UN’s work and global issues.
The United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) is the second-largest UN headquarters after New York. Historically, the main building, the Palais des Nations (on this postcard), was originally constructed to house the League of Nations, the UN’s predecessor. The UN in Geneva is known for being a key hub for human rights, humanitarian affairs, and disarmament, with numerous agencies like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) headquartered there. The “Broken Chair” sculpture (also seen on this postcard) outside UNOG gates is symbolizing opposition to landmines.
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization to promote international co-operation. As of this writing, there are 193 member states. The headquarters of the United Nations is in Manhattan, New York City. Further main offices are situated in Geneva, Nairobi, and Vienna. The United Nations organization has it’s own postal agency: The United Nations Postal Administration.
I’ve visited the UN building in the New York City, and sent myself a couple of postcards.
The UN building is the blocky building on the left:
And they have their own stamps, of course. The one I got featuring Borobudur Temple in Indonesia, which is UNESCO World Heritage Site:
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