Poland deposited its instrument of ratification to become a Party to the UNESCO 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage
17.05.2021
On 17 May 2021, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to UNESCO, Ambassador Magdalena Marcinkowska on behalf of Poland deposited an instrument of ratification with Director-General Audrey Azoulay to join the Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, done in Paris on 2 November 2001 Thereby, Poland ratified all UNESCO conventions on cultural heritage protection.
The 2001 Convention will enter into force with respect to Poland three months after the deposit by Poland of its instrument of ratification. Thus, Poland will become the sixty-ninth State Party to this international treaty. At present, fourteen European Union Member States are Parties to the Convention.
Since amongst the Council of the Baltic Sea States only Lithuania and Estonia have so far ratified the 2001 UNESCO Convention, Poland’s accession to the treaty will further promote standards and good practices regarding the protection of underwater cultural heritage in the region.
The 2001 Convention highlights the importance of preserving and protecting underwater cultural heritage, especially in situ, and obliges States Parties to undertake all actions in conformity with international law, which aim at preventing direct threats to underwater cultural heritage.
An integral part of the Convention are Rules concerning activities directed at underwater cultural heritage which also stipulate international standards of conduct in this area.
The UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage was done in Paris on 2 November 2001 and entered into force on 2 January 2009.
MFA Press Office
photo: Christelle Alix / UNESCO
