The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the UN. It contributes to building peace through preserving culture. Among others, it does so by working towards an improvement of the protection of the world’s underwater cultural heritage.

For this UNESCO focuses on three main lines of action:

1. Improving the legal protection of underwater cultural heritage

The  Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage (the “2001 Convention”) is UNESCO’s main tool to improve the legal and operational protection of underwater cultural heritage. It enables States to better protect such heritage by setting high protection and research standards and by facilitating cooperation. UNESCO ensures the Secretariat of the Convention. That means that it organizes the sessions of the Meeting of States Parties and of its Scientific and Technical Advisory Body and assists States Parties in the implementation of the decisions taken. The Secretariat is also available for assistance, be it in order to facilitate the information exchange on the Convention or in order to help a State to become State Party. UNESCO organizes regional and national meetings to make the Convention better known to national authorities and to enable an exchange of experiences. It has also elaborated a National Cultural Heritage Law Database that facilitates access to and comparison of national laws protecting underwater heritage. In addition UNESCO produces publications to improve the understanding of the Convention and to make information on it or the field of underwater cultural heritage protection better known. UNESCO endorses best practice by granting its patronage to selected national, regional or international programmes, projects and activities for safeguarding underwater cultural heritage.

2. Building capacity in underwater archaeology

In close cooperation with its partners UNESCO provides training through the Secretariat of the 2001 Convention, its many field offices and the Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar, Croatia. Such training is either made available through practical courses in underwater archaeology and in techniques for the conservation of underwater cultural heritage, or through publications.

See for detailed information:

- Capacity building

- The UNESCO Underwater Archaeology Tutorial

- Centres under the auspices of UNESCO

3. Raising awareness of underwater cultural heritage among the public

UNESCO works to raise public awareness regarding the value and significance of underwater cultural heritage and the importance of protecting it. For this purpose it fosters the publication of information via the media, for instance through this Website, produces information material, including films, TV spots, information brochures, created a UNESCO UCH Kids programme, organizes exhibitions and takes many other measures. UNESCO works with many partners to raise public awareness, like for instance the cartoon producer Moonscoop, which is the partner of UNESCO’s UCH Kid’s programme.

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The Secretariat of the 2001 Convention is available for inquires by the media as well as scientists and the public. The press is also invited to contact the UNESCO Press Service.