Rules of use of the UNESCO logo
THE USE OF THE NAME, ACRONYM, LOGO AND INTERNET DOMAIN NAMES OF UNESCO
From 1 November 2007, the use of the name, acronym, logo and Internet domain names of UNESCO shall be subject to the following provisions (ref.: Resolution 34 C/86) :
I. Name, acronym, logo and Internet domain name of the Organization
I.1 Definitions
The full official name is: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The name may be translated into any language.
The acronym is formed from the initials of the full name in English: UNESCO. It may be written in any characters.
The emblem or logo, which is used as the official seal, is shown below:
The Internet domain name of the Organization is “unesco.org”.
I.2 Protection
To the extent that the name, acronym and logo of UNESCO have been notified and accepted by the Paris Union Member States under the Article 6 ter of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, adopted in 1883 and revised at Stockholm in 1967, UNESCO has recourse to Paris Convention Member States’ domestic systems to prevent the use of the name, acronym or logo of UNESCO where such use falsely suggests a connection with UNESCO.
UNESCO may take measures against misuse of its name or acronym as Internet domain names under the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), or the procedures defined by national authorities and/or other competent bodies.
I.3 Rights of use
Only the General Conference and the Executive Board, i.e. the governing bodies, the Secretariat and the National Commissions for UNESCO have the right to use the name, acronym, logo and/or Internet domain names of UNESCO without prior authorization, subject to the rules set out by the Directives.
I.4 Authorization
Authorizing the use of the name, acronym and/or logo of UNESCO is the prerogative of the General Conference and the Executive Board. In specific cases as set out by the Directives, the governing bodies empower, by delegation, the Director-General and the National Commissions for UNESCO to authorize such use to other bodies. The power to authorize the use of the name, acronym, logo and/or Internet domain names of UNESCO may not be granted to other bodies.
Any decision authorizing the use of the name, acronym, logo and/or domain names of UNESCO shall be based on the following criteria: (i) relevance of the proposed association to the Organization’s strategic objectives and programme; and (ii) compliance with the values, principles and constitutional aims of UNESCO.
The use of the name, acronym, logo and/or domain name must be expressly authorized in advance and in writing, and must comply with the specified conditions and procedures, in particular with respect to its visual presentation, duration and scope.
II. Forms of use
II.1 Graphical standards of the name, acronym and logo
The UNESCO logo should be reproduced according to the graphical standards elaborated by the Secretariat, and should not be altered. Wherever possible, the full name of the Organization (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) should appear beneath the logo in the language(s) of the document, so as to affirm the Organization’s membership in the United Nations system and its specific fields of competence.
UNESCO’s logo may be associated with the logo or logos of subsidiary bodies, intergovernmental programmes, other organizations or specific events (linked logo).
To make the link with UNESCO precise and concrete, the linked logo should, wherever possible, include a phrase or an indication of how the entity or event in question is thus linked.
II.2 Registration and use of Internet domain names
At the international level
All generic extensions (gTLDs) shall be linked to the sole name of UNESCO’s active international domain: “unesco.org”. The referenced Internet site at that address is managed by the Secretariat. Only a staff member duly authorized by the Director-General may register domain names under the existing or future generic extensions.
At the national level
National extensions (ccTLDs) afford an opportunity to highlight the presence of UNESCO in each country. Internet domain names should be, wherever possible, registered under national extensions or sub-extensions by the National Commissions and point towards the Internet site of the National Commission where it exists, or towards the “unesco.org” site, in order to avoid registration by third parties.
Policy on combined domain names
As the possibilities for registering Internet domain names associating the six letters of UNESCO’s name with any letter(s) or symbol(s) are practically unlimited, the Organization shall not officially recognize any site operating with such domain names. To reference the Internet sites of bodies or of projects linked with the Secretariat or National Commissions, practices consisting of giving the names of official domains should be fostered. The Secretariat, National Commissions and/or other competent bodies shall take all appropriate measures to prevent third parties not expressly authorized from registering and using such combined domain names.
II. Role of the governing bodies and of the Director-General III.1 Role of the governing bodies
III.1.1 Authorization
The General Conference and the Executive Board authorize the use of the name, acronym or logo of UNESCO by means of resolutions and decisions, notably in the case of intergovernmental programmes, programme networks, bodies under the auspices of UNESCO (for example, category 2 centres), official partners, global or regional prizes, and special events in the Member States.
The governing bodies should ensure that their resolutions and decisions stipulate the terms of the authorization granted, in accordance with the Directives.
The governing bodies may ask the Director-General to put specific cases of authorization before them and/or submit to them an occasional or regular report on specific cases of use and/or of authorization, notably concerning the granting of patronage, partnerships and commercial use.
III.1.2 Protection
The governing bodies should ensure that the regulations governing the intergovernmental programmes, programme networks, and bodies under the auspices of UNESCO are in harmony with these Directives.
In specific cases, the governing bodies may ask the Director-General to monitor the proper use of the name, acronym and logo of UNESCO, and to initiate proceedings against abusive use where appropriate.
III.2 Role of the Director-General
III.2.1 Authorization
In the context of programme execution, only the Director-General is empowered to approve for any activity or entity of the Secretariat, including inter-agency activities, the creation of a specific logo that should always be associated with the logo of UNESCO.
The Director-General is empowered to authorize the use of UNESCO’s name, acronym or logo notably in connection with patronage, the appointment of goodwill ambassadors, and other personalities promoting the Organization and its programmes, such as Artists for Peace or Sports Champions, and also contractual arrangements and partnerships, as well as specific promotional activities, provided that in each case the grantee uses a phrase or indication of how the entity or activity in question is thus linked.
The Director-General may decide to put specific cases of authorization before the governing bodies.
III.2.1.1 Criteria and conditions for the granting of UNESCO’s patronage
UNESCO’s patronage may be granted to various kinds of activities, such as cinematographic works and other audiovisual productions, publications, the holding of congresses, meetings and conferences, the awarding of prizes, and, also, other national and international events.
Criteria applicable to all activities under patronage:
(i) Impact: Patronage may be granted to exceptional activities likely to have a real impact on education, science, culture or communication, and significantly enhance UNESCO’s visibility.
(ii) Reliability: Adequate assurance should be obtained concerning those in charge (professional experience and reputation, references and recommendations, legal and financial guarantees) and the activities concerned (political, legal, financial and technical feasibility).
Conditions applicable to the granting of patronage:
(i) UNESCO’s patronage is granted in writing exclusively by the Director-General.
(ii) In the case of national activities, the decision regarding the granting of UNESCO’s patronage is made on the basis of obligatory consultations with the National Commission of the Member State in which the activity is held and the National Commission of the Member State in which the body responsible for the activity is domiciled.
(iii) The Organization and the National Commission(s) concerned must be able to participate actively in the preparation and execution of the activities concerned.
(iv) The Organization must be afforded an appropriate degree of visibility, notably through the use of its name, acronym and logo.
(v) Patronage may be granted to individual activities or to activities which take place regularly. In the latter case, the duration must be fixed and the authorization renewed periodically.
III.2.1.2 Contractual arrangements
Any contractual arrangement between the Secretariat and outside organizations involving an explicit association with those organizations (for example, in the framework of partnerships with the private sector or civil society, co-publication or co-production agreements, or contracts with professionals and personalities supporting the Organization) must include a standard clause stipulating that any use of the name, acronym or logo must be approved previously in writing.
Authorizations accorded under such contractual arrangements must be limited to the context of the designated activity.
III.2.1.3 Commercial use
The sale of goods or services bearing the name, acronym, logo and/or Internet domain name of UNESCO chiefly for profit shall be regarded as “commercial use” for the purpose of the Directives. Any commercial use of the name, acronym, logo and/or Internet domain names of UNESCO, alone or in the form of a linked logo, must be expressly authorized by the Director-General, under a specific contractual arrangement.
III.2.2 Protection
The Director-General ensures that the terms and conditions of patronage, the nomination of goodwill ambassadors and other personalities promoting the Organization, such as Artists for Peace or Sports Champions, and also contractual arrangements and partnerships with outside organizations, are in line with the Directives.
The Director-General is responsible for instituting proceedings in the case of unauthorized use or registration at the international level of the name, acronym, logo and/or Internet domain names of UNESCO in generic extensions (gTLDs).
IV. Role of the Member States and their National Commissions IV.1 Competent bodies
The National Commissions for UNESCO, except where another body has been designated by the Member States, are the competent body to deal with questions relating to the use at the national level of the name, acronym, logo or Internet domain names of UNESCO in national extensions or sub-extensions (ccTLDs), in accordance with national laws.
IV.2 Rights of use
National Commissions have the right to use the name, acronym and logo of UNESCO in conformity with these Directives. If they do so, UNESCO’s name, acronym and/or logo are always associated with their own name and, if they so desire, with their specific logo. The use by National Commissions of UNESCO’s logo is strongly encouraged.
IV.3 Authorization
In the framework of the intergovernmental programmes, the programme networks or the Clubs, Centres and Associations for UNESCO movement, the National Commissions, in keeping with their role as liaison bodies recognized by the Constitution, or the other bodies designated in conformity with point IV.1 above, have the right to authorize the use of UNESCO’s name, acronym or logo, but only in the form of a linked logo – which shall specify the identity of the programme or movement concerned and must therefore be in compliance with the specific regulations of the given entities, networks or programmes. This concerns, inter alia, the national committees of intergovernmental programmes, biosphere reserves, associated schools or UNESCO Chairs, as well as Clubs, Centres or Associations for UNESCO and their national coordinating bodies.
When granting their own patronage to national activities, National Commissions can authorize organizations working in UNESCO’s fields of competence to use UNESCO’s name, acronym and/or logo always in association with the National Commissions’ own name and, if they so desire, their own logo, according to the provisions of point IV.2 above.
The same applies to contractual arrangements and promotional activities which they enter into or conduct in their own name, at the national level.
National Commissions may establish time limits and/or conduct periodic reviews related to authorizations granted by them. National Commissions have the right to withdraw their authorizations.
IV.4 Protection
National Commissions, or other bodies designated in conformity with point IV.1 above, are responsible for the consequences arising out of the authorizations granted by them.
To achieve the objectives of these Directives, the provisions of national legislations and/or of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property are to be taken into consideration.
The Secretariat and the Member States, through their National Commissions or other designated bodies, should closely cooperate, in order to prevent any unauthorized use of UNESCO’s name, acronym, logo or Internet domain names at the national level, in liaison with competent national bodies and in line with these Directives.
V. Amendment of the Directives
These Directives may only be amended by the General Conference.
