The map on the stamp issued in 2000 by Italy combines two connected themes: The forty-fifth anniversary of the Fifth Messina Conference in 1955, and the centenary of the birth of Gaetano Martino (1900-1967), a native of Messina, and a participant in the Messina Conference in 1955. Switzerland and Austria did not participate in that conference, and thus are not shown on the map in color. However, Austria is not only not colored, the western extention of the country does not appear to be the proper size for Austria. Germany and Italy thus appear to be direct neighbors.
     It has been pointed out that the map outlines the countries with a shadow on the north and east, and that the shadow thus takes up the space of Austria. However, some maintain that the space between Germany and Italy is "really too small," and thus in error.