2002 St. Thomas & Prince Islands

This souvenir sheet was issued by São Tomé and Príncipe to commemorate the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, depicting the Statue of Liberty, wrapped in an American flag, rising above the New York City skyline as smoke pours from one of the Twin Towers. The sheet's inscription, "11 de Setembro de 2001," marks the date of the attacks directly in Portuguese, the official language of São Tomé and Príncipe, a small island nation off the western coast of Africa. Countries around the world issued commemorative stamps and souvenir sheets in the months following the attacks, using philately as a visible expression of solidarity with the United States during a moment of widespread global shock and grief.

The design pairs the Statue of Liberty, one of the most recognizable symbols of American democracy and the country's welcome to the world, with the World Trade Center towers, then among the tallest and most iconic structures in New York City. The juxtaposition of the illuminated statue against the darkened, smoke filled skyline reflects a common visual theme adopted by numerous countries' commemorative issues, contrasting American resilience and enduring symbolism with the destruction of that day. A starry blue background echoes the American flag's own field of stars, further tying the composition to national imagery immediately recognizable around the world.