Final Act of the Intergovernmental Conference on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. The Hague, 14 May 1954.
Following the signature of the Roerich Pact by the American States in 1935 attempts were undertaken to draft a more comprehensive convention for the protection of monuments and works of art in time of war. In 1939, a draft convention, elaborated under the auspices of the International Museums Office, was presented to governments by the Netherlands. On account of the outbreak of World War II no further steps could be taken. After the war, a new proposal was submitted to UNESCO by the Netherlands in 1948. The General Conference of UNESCO in 1951 decided to convene a committee of government experts to draft a convention. This committee met in 1952 and thereafter submitted its drafts to the General Conference. The revised drafts were then transmitted to governments for advice. The intergovernmental Conference which drew up and adopted the Convention and the further Acts took place at The Hague from 21 April to 14 May 1954. 56 States were represented. The Final Act has no force of law.
Final Act
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)