Legal Instruments

The Slovak Republic became member of UNESCO on 9 February 1993, upon ratification and deposition of the Instrument of Acceptance of the UNESCO Constitution with the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

	UNESCO World Heritage Year of issue: 2010 Publisher: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic
	UNESCO World Heritage

The Slovak Republic acceded to the following Conventions and Agreements adopted under the auspices of UNESCO:

In 1993
· Universal Copyright Convention, with Appendix Declaration relating to Article XVII and Resolution concerning Article XI. 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. 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. Geneva, 6 September 1952
· 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. Text of the Convention
· Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. The Hague, 14 May 1954. Text of the Protocol
· Convention concerning the International Exchange of Publications. Paris, 3 December 1958
· Convention concerning the Exchange of Official Publications and Government Documents between States. Paris, 3 December 1958
· Convention against Discrimination in Education. Paris, 14 December 1960
· International Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations. Rome, 26 October 1961
· Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. Paris, 14 November 1970
· Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat. Ramsar, 2 February 1971
· Protocol to amend the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat. Paris, 3 December 1982
· Universal Copyright Convention as revised on 24 July 1971, with Appendix Declaration relating to Article XVII and Resolution concerning Article XI. Paris, 24 July 1971
· 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 concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Paris, 16 November 1972. Text of the Convention
· Protocol 2 annexed to the Universal Copyright Convention as revised on 24 July 1971 concerning the application of that Convention to works of certain international organizations. Paris, 24 July 1971
· International Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations. Rome, 26 October 1961
· Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms against Unauthorized Duplication of their Phonograms. Geneva, 29 October 1971
· Multilateral Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation of Copyright Royalties, with model bilateral agreement and additional Protocol. Madrid, 13 December 1979

In 1997
· Agreement for Facilitating the International Circulation of Visual and Auditory Materials of an Educational, Scientific and Cultural character with Protocol of Signature and model form of certificate provided for in Article IV of the above-mentioned Agreement. Beirut, 10 December 1948
· Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials, with Annexes A to E and Protocol annexed. Florence, 17 June 1950
· Protocol to the Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials, with Annexes A to H. Nairobi, 26 November 1976

In 1999
· Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region. Lisbon, 11 April 1997

In 2004
· Second Protocol to the Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. The Hague, 26 March 1999. Text of the Protocol

In 2006
· Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Paris, 17 October 2003.

The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (hereinafter “Convention“) was adopted on 17 October 2003, on the 32nd session of the General Conference in Paris.

The adoption of the Convention was preceded by the lengthy quest of UNESCO member states and their experts for analysis and identification of those areas of cultural heritage that lack legal protection. It was no earlier than in 2001, on the 31st session of the General Conference that an urgent need for an adequate legal protection of the intangible cultural heritage was enunciated and the unique mandate of UNESCO relative to the protection of all aspects of cultural heritage was emphasized. This General Conference finally decided to work towards a new international normative instrument, "preferably a convention" in the spirit of the 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

Slovakia took an active part in the normative process of formulation of this Convention on the respective expert meetings in 2001-2003.

As defined by Article I.1. of the Convention, the purposes of this Convention are (a) to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage; (b) to ensure respect for the intangible cultural heritage of the communities, groups and individuals concerned; (c) to raise awareness at the local, national and international levels of the importance of the intangible cultural heritage, and of ensuring mutual appreciation thereof; and (d) to provide for international cooperation and assistance. The Convention, in connection with other international legal instruments concerned with human rights, social and cultural rights or tangible and natural heritage, should increase tolerance, mutual respect, solidarity and international assistance among nations, communities and individuals. The Convention further aims at strengthening the institutional and financial mechanisms of protection of the intangible cultural heritage, and to this end it has established the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.

· Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Paris, 20 October 2005.

The Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (hereinafter “Convention“) was adopted on 20 October 2005, on the 33nd session of the General Conference in Paris.

The Purpose of the Convention is to fortify such intra- and inter-state mechanisms that contribute to the awareness of mankind of the importance of diversity of cultures, and cultural expressions. Guided by the principles of the Conventions (Article 2), provisions of the Convention aim at intensified interaction of various cultures, recognition of the unique character of cultural activities, goods and services, and adoption of such policies and measures that would promote and safeguard diversity of cultural expressions, their free creation, production and dissemination, while preserving the normative force of the Convention.

The Convention is deemed a natural outcome of discussions on cultural diversity and the necessity of its reinforced protection due to the globalization processes. Globalisation, as perceived by experts from UNESCO, the European Union, the Council of Europe and International Coalition for Cultural policies, does not only bring about the new ways of cultural interaction but also poses a threat to vulnerable cultures. In particular, it is the phenomenon of standardization that is deemed dangerous for the diversity of cultures.

Normative role played by the Convention in the fields of cultural diversity should attain the same levels of importance as legal instruments of the World Intellectual Property Organisation have in the fields of intellectual property, conventions of the World Trade Organisation for the world trade, or environmental conventions for the world environment.

Efforts of UNESCO to codify rules for the protection of cultural diversity were preceded by political and moral expression of such a commitment – by adoption of the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity in November 2001.

The Convention should be read in the broader context of other legally binding instruments adopted by UNESCO that are concerned with various aspects of cultural heritage:

· Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003)
· Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972)
· Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (1970)
· Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954)
· Universal Copyright Convention (1952, 1971)
In October 2003, the UNESCO General Conference unanimously decided to start to negotiate the preliminary draft of the Convention. Negotiations started in September 2004, paying due respect to dual (economic and cultural) nature of cultural activities, goods and services, as well to the fact that the Convention would cut across many other policies, especially the trade aspects of intellectual property and the Common trade policy of the European Communities. Due to the latter, the European Union represented by the European Commission entered into the final phase of the negotiations and proposed that the provisions on accession apply also the regional economic integration organizations. The EU accessed the Convention on 18 December 2006, following the Decision of the Council (no. 8668/06) on measures that are necessary for the adoption of the Convention by the Union.

In 2007
· International Convention against Doping in Sport. Paris, 19 October 2005. More information

Permanent Delegation of the Slovak Republic to UNESCO

Permanent Delegation of the Slovak Republic to UNESCO is an organisational part of the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Paris which maintains contacts with the Secretariat of UNESCO and Delegation of third states to UNESCO and represents interests of the Slovak Republic in UNESCO in the periods between General conferences.

Permanent Delegate – Ambassador: Mr. Ján Kuderjavý

Deputy Permanent Delegate: Ms. Ľubica Erdelská

Contact:

Embassy of the Slovak Republic to France
Permanent Delegation to UNESCO
1, rue Miollis
75732 Paris - Cedex 15
France

Phone: 00331/45683537, 38
Fax: 00331/444490103
Email: dl.slovakia@unesco.org

Participation Programme

The UNESCO Participation Programme (PP) is a biennial programme aimed at achievement of UNESCO objectives, through participation in activities carried out by its member states. The Programme is an important source of funds for projects realized by the Slovak Commission for UNESCO.

For 2008-2009, all projects proposed under the PP must relate to the priorities of the Organisation as defined by the General Conference at its 34th session in November 2007, namely: Africa, gender equality, youth, least-developed countries (LDCs), post-conflict and post-disaster countries.

Forms for submission of a request under the PP 2008-2009 and related guidelines can be found below. Please note that all requests have to be sent to the Slovak Commission for UNESCO no later than 31 January 2008.

 CL-3839 English  (pdf; 419,14 kB)
 CL-3839 Français  (pdf; 518,93 kB)

Each state may submit 10 projects, as selected (and given order of priority) by the National Commission. Nevertheless, in 2001, the OECD members were requested by the UNESCO Director General, Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, to submit max. 6 projects, so that the funds can be made available for the states that need them most.

The total amount of assistance provided for each project shall not exceed 26 000 USD for a national project, 35 000 USD for a subregional or interregional project, and 46 000 USD for a regional project. The financial provision made by the applicant must be sufficient to implement the activity satisfactorily – applicant`s contribution may reach 50% of the total costs of the project.

As for the projects on national level, UNESCO accepts only requests related to the anniversaries of various personalities and institutions. Recommended are especially regional or subregional projects devoted to LDCs and impacts of globalization. In either case:

· the funds should preferably be spent on the aim of the project as such, less on its technical aspects
· it is primarily the overall composition of the project, its quality, that plays an important role
· projects have to be supported by superior workers, partner institutions and other (foreign) partners
· applicants should raise funds also from other sources and request UNESCO to cover only certain amount of the total costs

Assistance under the Participation Programme may comprise the provision of:
· The services of specialists and consultants
· Fellowships and study grants
· Publications, periodicals and documentation
· Equipment (other than vehicles)
· Conferences, meetings, seminars and training courses, translation and interpretation services, participants` travel costs, the services of consultants, and other services deemed necessary by all concerned
· Financial contributions

When deciding upon a request, the Director General shall take into account:
· The total amount approved by the General Conference for this Programme
· The assessment of the request made by the relevant Sector(s)
· The contribution that such participation can effectively make to the attainment of Member State`s objectives in UNESCO`s fields of competence and within the framework of the major priorities of the Medium-Term Strategy and the Programme and Budget approved by the General Conference, to which participation must be closely linked
· The need to pursue a more equitable balance in the distribution of funds with regards to the priorities

UNESCO Information and Documentation Centre

The UNESCO Centre - the information and documentation centre of UNESCO – in the University Library in Bratislava is of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in the Slovak Republic.

Tasks of the UNESCO Centre include:
· dissemination of information on functioning, programmes and projects, and various activities of UNESCO in all fields of its competence throughout the world and in Slovakia to the general public
· building up of the collection of UNESCO and UN related publications and documents and making them available in the reading room
· coordination of UNESCO Clubs and Associated Schools in the Slovak Republic (National Coordinator)
· administration of the Slovak Committee for the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme aimed at saving of the documentary heritage
· cooperation with the UNESCO Secretariat in Paris, with the Slovak Commission for UNESCO at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic, worldwide network of the UNESCO centres and associations and other institutions

Services provided at the UNESCO Centre:
· in-library study of UNESCO and other UN organizations related documents and publications
· free access to electronic information on the UN system (internet, CD-ROM)
· consultancy
· reprographic services (for reading room funds)

All publications (over 100 periodicals and 150 monographs) are in English and French, or in other foreign languages and are systematized in catalogues.
For more information click here or contact, or visit the UNESCO Centre:

UNESCO Centre
University Library in Bratislava
Michalská 1
814 17 Bratislava

Seat of the Centre:
University Library in Bratislava
Klariská 5
Bratislava

Telephone: 00421 (0) 2 5980 4142
Fax: 00421 (0) 2 5443 4958
E-mail: unesco@ulib.sk

UNESCO Clubs

UNESCO Clubs
For more information about the status, activities and possibilities to join UNESCO Clubs, please, contact Ms. Anna Polievková, Head of the UNESCO Information Centre:

UNESCO Centre
University Library in Bratislava
Michalská 1
814 17 Bratislava

Seat of the Centre:
University Library in Bratislava
Klariská 5
Bratislava

Telephone: 00421 (0) 2 5980 4142
Fax: 00421 (0) 2 5443 4958
E-mail: unesco@ulib.sk