WORLD REFUGEE YEAR?1959-1960
A selection of international postage stamps
George S. Champlin Memorial Collection, Robert T. Galkin Collection

The United Nations General Assembly established World Refugee Year in June of 1959 as an initiative to improve the lives of refugees. Fifteen years after the end of World War II, many people were still living in displaced person camps throughout Europe. Through fundraising and public awareness efforts, the initiative aimed to shed light on the issue of resettlement. Over 70 postal authorities simultaneously produced stamps and issued first-day covers to support these efforts. Some designs featured an uprooted oak tree–the emblem of World Refugee Year.  Many countries used the stamp to demonstrate their national position on the issue of refugees.