University of Minnesota

Final Act of the Intergovernmental Conference on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict,
249 U.N.T.S. 216, May 14, 1954.


[The Human Rights Library wishes to express its gratitude to the Institute Henry Dunant for its contribution of this document.]

The Conference convened by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for the purpose of drawing up and adopting.

a Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict,

Regulations for the Execution of the said Convention, and

a Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict

was held at the Hague, on the invitation of the Government of the Netherlands from 12 April to 14 May, 1954, and deliberated on the basis of drafts prepared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

The Conference established the following texts:

Convention of The Hague for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and Regulations for the execution of the said Convention;

Protocol for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.

This Convention, these Regulations and this Protocol, the texts of which were established in the English, French, Russian and Spanish languages, are attached to the present Act.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization will make the translation of these texts into the other official languages of its General Conference.

The Conference further adopted three resolutions which are also attached to the present Act.

In witness whereof the undersigned, duly authorized by their respective Governments, have signed the present Final Act.

Done at The Hague, this fourteenth day of May 1954, in the English, French, Russian and Spanish languages. The original and the documents accompanying it shall be deposited in the archives of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

(Here follow signatures)