UNESCO Conventions Ceremony
During this formal event, representatives of Member States have the opportunity to submit instruments of ratification or to sign UNESCO's conventions. By taking part in this collective effort, Member States of the Organization reaffirm their determination to cooperate in order to achieve the objectives pursued by the various conventions of UNESCO.
[…] The international conventions we uphold are not mere legal frameworks; they are the symbols of our shared commitment to work together to conquer ignorance, intolerance and the erosion of our cultural tapestry. Each Convention is a testament to our collective will to protect what defines us as a global community.
The Ceremony was hosted by the Director of the Office of International Standards and Legal Affairs and Legal Advisor of UNESCO, Mr Santiago Villalpando, accompanied by the Assistant Director-General for Education, Ms Stefania Giannini, and the Assistant Director-General for Culture, Mr. Ernesto Ottone-RamÃrez.
The Ceremony, which was attended by H.E. Ms Simona-Mirela Miculescu, President of the 42nd General Conference as well as a number of Member States’ representatives, put an emphasis on the essential role that UNESCO's normative mandate can play towards the pursuit of the Organization's objectives.
3rd Conventions Ceremony (November 2023)
The third UNESCO Conventions Ceremony will be celebrated on 10 November 2023, on the margins of the 42nd session of the General Conference.
An information meeting on the third UNESCO Conventions Ceremony was held for Permanent Delegations on Wednesday 21 June 2023, at 10:00 a.m., in Room IV. This information meeting was chaired by Mr Santiago Villalpando, Legal Adviser and Director of the Office of International Standards and Legal Affairs.
Comprehensive list of conventions deposited with the Director-General
- Revised Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in the Arab States. Paris, 2 February 2022
- Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education. Paris, 25 November 2022
- Regional Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean. Buenos Aires, 13 July 2019
- Revised Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees and Other Academic Qualifications in Higher Education in African States. Addis Ababa, 12 December 2014
- Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education. Tokyo, 26 November 2011
- Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Paris, 20 October 2005
- International Convention against Doping in Sport. Paris, 19 October 2005
- Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Paris, 17 October 2003
- Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. Paris, 2 November 2001
- Second Protocol to the Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict 1999. The Hague, 26 March 1999
- Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region. Lisbon, 11 April 1997
- Convention on Technical and Vocational Education. Paris, 10 November 1989
- Regional Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in Asia and the Pacific. Bangkok, 16 December 1983
- Regional Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees and other Academic Qualifications in Higher Education in the African States. Arusha, 5 December 1981
- Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees concerning Higher Education in the States belonging to the Europe Region. Paris, 21 December 1979
- Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in the Arab States. Paris, 22 December 1978
- Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in the Arab and European States Bordering on the Mediterranean. Nice, 17 December 1976
- Regional Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean. Mexico City, 19 July 1974
- Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Paris, 16 November 1972
- Universal Copyright Convention as revised at Paris on 24 July 1971, with Appendix Declaration relating to Article XVII and Resolution concerning Article XI. Paris, 24 July 1971
- Protocol 1 annexed for Universal Copyright Convention as revised at Paris on 24 July 1971 concerning the application of that Convention to works of Stateless persons and refugees 1971. Paris, 24 July 1971
- Protocol 2 annexed for the Universal Copyright Convention as revised at Paris on 24 July 1971 concerning the application of that Convention to the works of certain international organizations 1971. Paris, 24 July 1971
- Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. Paris, 14 November 1970
- Protocol Instituting a Conciliation and Good offices Commission to be Responsible for Seeking the settlement of any Disputes which may Arise between States Parties to the Convention against Discrimination in Education. Paris, 10 December 1962
- Convention against Discrimination in Education. Paris, 14 December 1960
- Convention concerning the Exchange of Official Publications and Government Documents between States. Paris, 3 December 1958
- Convention concerning the International Exchange of Publications. Paris, 3 December 1958
- Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict with Regulations for the Execution of the Convention. The Hague, 14 May 1954
- Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed conflict 1954. The Hague, 14 May 1954
- Universal Copyright Convention, with Appendix Declaration relating to Articles XVII and Resolution concerning Article XI. Geneva, 6 September 1952
- Protocol 1 annexed to the Universal Copyright Convention concerning the application of that Convention to the works of stateless persons and refugees 1952. Geneva, 6 September 1952
- Protocol 2 annexed to the Universal Copyright Convention concerning the application of that Convention to the works of certain international organizations 1952. Geneva, 6 September 1952
- Protocol 3 annexed to the Universal Copyright Convention concerning the effective date of instruments of ratification or acceptance of or accession to that Convention 1952. Geneva, 6 September 1952
List of conventions opened for signature
- Revised Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in the Arab States. Paris, 2 February 2022
- Regional Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean. Buenos Aires, 13 July 2019
- Revised Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees and Other Academic Qualifications in Higher Education in African States. Addis Ababa, 12 December 2014
- Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education. Tokyo, 26 November 2011
- Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region. Lisbon, 11 April 1997
- Regional Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in Asia and the Pacific. Bangkok, 16 December 1983
- Regional Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees and other Academic Qualifications in Higher Education in the African States. Arusha, 5 December 1981
- Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees concerning Higher Education in the States belonging to the Europe Region. Paris, 21 December 1979
- Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in the Arab States. Paris, 22 December 1978
- Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in the Arab and European States Bordering on the Mediterranean. Nice, 17 December 1976
- Regional Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean. Mexico City, 19 July 1974
2nd Conventions Ceremony, held on the margins of the 41th session of the General Conference
The second UNESCO Conventions Ceremony was celebrated on 19 November 2021, on the margins of the 41st session of the General Conference, bringing together the representatives of Zambia, Tunisia, Cuba and Botswana who made public their commitment to the normative mandate of UNESCO. Instruments of ratification of four different conventions in the fields of culture and education were deposited on that day.
This General Conference is a reminder of the power of our normative mission, a very important function and aspect of our mandate, which is less known to the wider public, but which is actually, again, the skeleton that defines and unites us.
The Ceremony was attended by H.E. Mr. Santiago Irazabal Mourão, President of the General Conference and H.E. Mr. Agapito Mba Mokuy, Chairperson of the Executive Board, as well as a number of States’ representatives.
The four instruments of ratification which were deposited during the Ceremony bring their respective conventions a step closer towards their universal scope and confirm that the normative mandate of the Organization is as relevant today as ever. The prominent attendance of this solemn event reaffirms the central role that UNESCO’s conventions and recommendations play in pursuance of the noble goal for which UNESCO was created 75 years ago. This is further demonstrated by the adoption of the General Conference, at its 41st session, of the two new recommendations, on open science and on ethics of artificial intelligence.
1st Conventions Ceremony, held the margins of the 40th session of the General Conference
On the margins of the debates of the 40th session of the General Conference, UNESCO took a moment, on 15 November 2019, to celebrate its normative mandate with the convening of its first Conventions Ceremony. The conference room of the Executive Board was brimming with Ministers and Ambassadors, who honoured the event emphasizing their States’ commitment to UNESCO’s normative mandate. The diversity of conventions on which States took action at the Ceremony reflects the broadness of UNESCO’s interdisciplinary mandate, in areas as diverse as the recognition of diplomas of higher education, the prevention of doping in sports and the protection of cultural heritage.
To exist, a treaty must be signed, ratified and then implemented; and ideally by all States. We aim at this universality [...] For this international legal language to be spoken by everyone – not just legal professionals – our standards need to be shared as widely as possible.
The Ceremony was organized by the Office of International Standards and Legal Affairs, on behalf of the Director-General as Depositary of the UNESCO Conventions. In this role, which is less known to the general public, the Director-General is the custodian of the original of the UNESCO Conventions and receives the signatures and the instruments by which States formally accept treaty commitments. The Ceremony gave prominence to a legal process that, while often taking place behind the scenes of international relations, still plays a central role in the life of an international treaty and the pursuit of the goals of our Organization.
The Ceremony was a solemn event, during which representatives of twelve States apposed their signatures to UNESCO Conventions or handed to the Director-General the instruments expressing their consent to be bound by these Conventions. It is noteworthy that, following the deposit of four new instruments of ratification during the Ceremony, the Revised Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees and Other Academic Qualifications in Higher Education in African States (Addis-Ababa, 2014) entered into force on 15 December 2019.
The success of the Ceremony reaffirms that conventions are at the core of UNESCO’s mandate. It is in this spirit that a new tradition of celebrating the Member States’ commitment to the Organization’s normative mandate is born.