UNESCO - the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was founded on 16 NovembToday, UNESCO functions as a laboratory of ideas and a standard-setter to forge universal agreements on emerging ethical issues. The Organization also serves as a clearinghouse – for the dissemination and sharing of information and knowledge – while helping Member States to build their human and institutional capacities in diverse fields. In short, UNESCO promotes international co-operation among its 193* Member States and six Associate Members in the fields of education, science, culture and communication.


UNESCO is working to create the conditions for genuine dialogue based upon respect for shared values and the dignity of each civilization and culture.
This role is critical, particularly in the face of terrorism, which constitutes an attack against humanity. The world urgently requires global visions of sustainable development based upon observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty, all of which lie at the heart of UNESCO’s mission and activities.


Today, UNESCO functions as a laboratory of ideas and a standard-setter to forge universal agreements on emerging ethical issues. The Organization also serves as a clearinghouse – for the dissemination and sharing of information and knowledge – while helping Member States to build their human and institutional capacities in diverse fields. In short, UNESCO promotes international co-operation among its 193* Member States and six Associate Members in the fields of education, science, culture and communication.

Through its strategies and activities, UNESCO is actively pursuing the Millennium Development
Goals, especially those aiming to:
• halve the proportion of people living in extreme poverty in developing countries by 2015
• achieve universal primary education in all countries by 2015
• eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education by 2005
• help countries implement a national strategy for sustainable development by 2005 to reverse current trends in the loss of environmental resources by 2015.
• UNESCO and the United Nations Millennium Goals



　　UNESCO Contact　　

        E-mail: beijing.culture@unesco.org

　　The UNESCO Seal of Excellence for Handicrafts programme (hereafter referred to as the “SEAL”) aims to encourage artisans to produce handicrafts using traditional skills, patterns and themes in an innovative way, in order to ensure the continuity and sustainability of these traditions and skills.

    The SEAL is UNESCO’s flagship programme for supporting craft producers.

Objective 1: Provide market opportunities to ensure sustainability of handicraft industries. The handicraft sector plays an increasingly significant role in local economic development and poverty eradication. By providing new market opportunities, the SEAL programme aims to enable handicraft producers to establish sustainable livelihoods. This will be achieved through developing networks of handicraft producers and buyers, including the higher-end of the market, and through exhibitions and trade fairs.


Objective 2: Establish rigorous standards of excellence for handicrafts. The UNESCO SEAL aims to establish a credible quality control mechanism to enhance rigorous standards of excellence. It aims to ensure that when consumers buy UNESCO SEAL-awarded handicrafts, they can be confident that they are buying high-quality,
culturally authentic products that are manufactured in a socially-responsible manner with respect for the environment.
Objective 3: Encourage innovation
While it seeks to promote the continuation of traditional skills, the UNESCO SEAL also encourages product innovation in order to ensure that handicrafts remain relevant, valuable, and marketable in modern life.


Objective 4: Offer training and support services
UNESCO SEAL aims to provide capacity-building and training workshops to assist craft producers in the improvement of their product design and marketing, development of their markets, and protection of their intellectual property rights.


Judging Criteria
A product that is certified with the “Seal of Excellence” meets the highest level of craft excellence and is distinguished as a benchmark for craft production. An international selection panel, nominated by UNESCO, judges submissions annually based on meeting ALL of the following 6 criteria. To be certified with the SEAL, a product
must be:


Excellent
Demonstrated excellence and standard-setting quality in craftsmanship:
Determined by the use of high quality materials, a high standard of technique and the special attention to manufacturing detail


Authentic
Expression of cultural identity and traditional aesthetic values:
This is demonstrated by a well achieved application of aesthetic and cultural expression, or traditional crafting technique.


Innovative
Innovation in design and production:
This is demonstrated by an effective and successful blend of traditional and contemporary, or inventive and creative use of material, design, and production process.


Eco-friendly
Respect for the environment in materials and production techniques:
This can be exemplified through the use of natural dyes, natural fibres, recycled materials and the use of materials and production processes that are environmentally friendly.


Marketable
Marketability of the item, with potential for the world market:
This may be related to the functionality of the product, the safe use by potential buyers, a balanced price-quality relationship or the sustainability of production.


Benefits
The SEAL award benefits craft producers by providing:
* Promotional certification to attest to the quality and authenticity of a product
* Guidance and support to participate in handicrafts trade fairs and exhibitions
* Promotional materials and marketing support to enhance their product’s visibility
and marketability
* Website and e-commerce platform to facilitate information-sharing between
producers and buyers
* Training and capacity-building in design and marketing
* Advice to register handicrafts under intellectual property and copyrights regimes


Handicrafts are defined as products that are produced either completely by hand or with the help
of tools. Mechanical tools may be used as long as the direct manual contribution of the artisan remains
the most substantial component of the finished product. Handicrafts are made from raw materials from
sustainable sources and can be produced in unlimited numbers. Such products can be utilitarian, aesthetic, artistic, creative, culturally expressive, decorative, functional, traditional, and religiously or socially symbolic and significant.
(Adapted from the definition for crafts/artisan products at the UNESCO/ITC International Symposium on “Crafts and the International Market: Trade and Customs Codification,” Manila, Philippines, October 1997)