Scott 356-359 (1963)

The United Nations Organization, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) sponsors the Freedom from Hunger Campaign. On March 21 1963, Vatican City issued a four-stamp set marking this event. In that year, other countries also issued stamps supporting the FAO campaign. A sheaf of wheat was incorporated into many of the stamp designs based upon the concept, let there be bread.

An effort to combat worldwide hunger began in the last year of World War II. The FAO existence also began in 1945. Its headquarters are located in Rome and 190 nations participate in the FAO. Its purpose is food security, improved nutrition levels, and improvement of agriculture and living conditions in nations where there are severe shortages of food and related problems.

The Vatican City stamps included the Miracle of Loaves and Fishes by Murillo and Miraculous Catch of Fishes, by Raphael.

Article link Freedom from Hunger Campaign, Vatican Notes, Vol. 61, No. 357, 3rd Quarter 2013, pp. 14-15