Seal of Excellence for Handicraft Products

Regulations
1. Purpose The UNESCO/AHPADA SEAL OF EXCELLENCE FOR HANDICRAFT PRODUCTS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA is awarded jointly by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Office of the Regional Advisor for Culture in Asia and Pacific and by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Handicraft Promotion and Development Association (AHPADA). The UNESCO/AHPADA SEAL OF EXCELLENCE FOR HANDICRAFT PRODUCTS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA is intended to enhance international awareness of ASEAN handicraft and to serve as a quality control mechanism and marketing device for the promotion of those hand-made traditional and/or innovative craft products from the region which conform to rigorous standards of cultural, environmental and production excellence. The UNESCO/AHPADA SEAL OF EXCELLENCE FOR HANDICRAFT PRODUCTS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA (hereinafter referred to as “the SEAL”) is awarded to specific craft products and product lines, not to individuals, nor to techniques. 2. Form and Uses of UNESCO/AHPADA Seal The SEAL shall be awarded only to handicraft items produced from one or a combination of any of the following natural materials indigenous to or grown/mined/produced/manufactured in one or more of the ASEAN countries: UNESCO/AHPADA Seal of Excellence for Handicraft Products in Southeast Asia Award Certificate UNESCO/AHPADA Seal of Excellence for Handicraft Products in Southeast Asia Exhibition and Trade Fair A handicraft exhibition and trade fair will be organized annually by AHPADA in conjunction with the announcement of the SEAL awardees for the year. UNESCO/AHPADA Seal of Excellence for Handicraft Products in Southeast Asia Electronic Data Base and Internet Order Form All craft products which have received the SEAL will be listed on the AHPADA electronic data base for promotional and marketing purposes. On this website, orders for products awarded the SEAL are placed and will be forwarded to the producers by AHPADA. This electronic listing will assist SEAL awardees to avoid mis-use or infringement of patent or copyright of their handicraft products. 3. Eligibility Application for the SEAL is open to all individual craft producers, community groups, cooperatives, private business concerns and/or agencies that produce commercial product lines, with the sole proviso that the applicant must reside permanently (for individuals) or be registered (for business concerns) in one of the 10 ASEAN nations: i.e. Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, or Viet Nam. The SEAL, which is established for an indefinite period, shall be presented on an annual basis in one or more of the following categories of craft production: Housewares and home decoration Garments Accessories Ornament and Jewelry Giftware Toys UNESCO and AHPADA reserve the right to modify or change the application categories, as needed. The SEAL shall be awarded only to handicraft items produced from one or a combination of any of the following natural materials indigenous to or grown/mined/produced/manufactured in one or more of the ASEAN countries: Natural Fibers (silk, cotton, flax) Woods (including paper, bamboo, rattan, coconut) Metals (silver, gold, bronze, iron, pewter) Stones (precious, semi-precious, jades and others) Ceramics (clay, earthenware, pottery, stoneware, porcelain) The SEAL shall be awarded on the basis of samples or prototypes of crafts products meeting the stated criteria submitted by eligible craft producers. Applicants are expected to submit true and representative samples or prototypes. All products submitted are furthermore expected to be the original creation of the applicant. Any falsified submission or any submission which infringes upon copyright and fair use principles of International Conventions shall be considered ineligible. Any SEAL awarded on the basis of such a false or unfair application shall be nullified. 4. Criteria An international selection panel will be designated annually by AHPADA in consultation with the Office of the UNESCO Regional Advisor for Culture in Asia and the Pacific. The panel of judges will make their decision to award the SEAL on the basis of the following five (5) criteria all of which must be met by those products awarded the SEAL: demonstrated excellence and standard-setting high quality in craftsmanship creative and successful alliance of traditional skills and innovation in material, form, and/or design expression of cultural identity and traditional aesthetic value marketability of the craft products with potential for entering the world market 5. Submission of 2007 Applications for the Seal Completed entry forms Please note that a number of applications submitted in the past have lacked sufficient information to comply with the Seal minimum standards. It is required from all participants to provide ALL necessary information as requested in the entry form. Sample photograph 5" x 7" (inches) photograph of sample craft product. The photograph will be used for the certificate and website; hence it is important that applicants submit a high quality photograph of their products either in photo, slide or CD-ROM format. Craft product samples (Please refer to Rights, Obligations and Sale of Entries for more details) Entry processing fee in the amount of US$ 20 (US Dollars twenty). The collected fee will serve to cover SEAL entry processing and administrative costs and ASEAN exhibition and trade fair expenses. Entry processing submitted, should be received by the AHPADA Regional Secretariat, at the following address, no later than 20 July 2007 The schedule for selection and awarding of the SEAL for 2007 is as follows: Submissions must be received by: 20 July 2007 Selection by international panel of judges: 19 - 20 September 2007 Announcement and presentation of SEAL together with opening ceremony of Exhibition and Trade Fair: 1 October 2007 Exhibition and Trade Fair: 6. Rights, Obligations and Sale of Entries Application for the SEAL does not constitute and should not be constructed as an application for patent or copyright protection. It is the producer’s responsibility to obtain the protection due under the law. It is understood that applicants for the SEAL give UNESCO and AHPADA the permission to publicize the craft product(s) which they have submitted by the reproduction of the entry photographs in any medium, including on the AHPADA website. All craft samples or prototypes submitted to AHPADA for consideration for the SEAL - regardless of whether they are awarded the SEAL or not - shall become the property of AHPADA and will not be returned. They can be disposed off by AHPADA and the proceeds will be used strictly for the purpose of supporting AHPADA activities related to the promotion of the SEAL. However, all patent, copyright and other reproduction rights are retained by the producer. Craft entries which successfully receive the SEAL will be exhibited during the annual AHPADA Handicraft Exhibition and Trade Fair. During the fair, AHPADA will take orders for these items on behalf of the producers. Products (and product lines) receiving the SEAL will be listed on the AHPADA electronic data base and website, from which orders may also be placed. 7. Queries & Information Any questions concerning the application procedures and/or to find out whether the craft product meets the criteria, please contact the relevant body: APHADA Regional Secretariat in Bangkok 4th Floor, Gaysorn Place 999 Gaysorn Plaza, Ploenchit Road, Lumpini, Patumwan 10330, Bangkok, Thailand Tel. (66-2) 02-656-1929 Fax: (66-2) 02-253-9889 E-Mail: ahpadabkk@ahpada.com Website: www.ahpada.com Office of the UNESCO Regional Advisor for Culture in Asia and the Pacific UNESCO Bangkok 920 Sukhumvit Road, Prakanong 10110, Bangkok, Thailand Tel. (66-2) 02-391-0577 ext. 501-2 Fax: (66-2) 02-391-0866 E-Mail: culture@unesco-proap.org Website: www.unescobkk.org/culture/craftseal The SUPPORT Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand (SACICT) 59 Moo 4 Chang-yai Sub District Bangsai 13290, Ayutthaya, Thailand Tel. (66-2) 035-367-054-9 Fax: (66-2) 035-367-051 Bangkok Office Tel. (66-2) 02-507-6964 Fax: (66-2) 02-507-6962 E-Mail: info@sacict.net Website: www.sacict.net

Regulations

1. Purpose

The UNESCO/AHPADA SEAL OF EXCELLENCE FOR HANDICRAFT PRODUCTS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA is awarded jointly by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Office of the Regional Advisor for Culture in Asia and Pacific and by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Handicraft Promotion and Development Association (AHPADA).
The UNESCO/AHPADA SEAL OF EXCELLENCE FOR HANDICRAFT PRODUCTS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA is intended to enhance international awareness of ASEAN handicraft and to serve as a quality control mechanism and marketing device for the promotion of those hand-made traditional and/or innovative craft products from the region which conform to rigorous standards of cultural, environmental and production excellence.
The UNESCO/AHPADA SEAL OF EXCELLENCE FOR HANDICRAFT PRODUCTS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA (hereinafter referred to as “the SEAL”) is awarded to specific craft products and product lines, not to individuals, nor to techniques.

2. Form and Uses of UNESCO/AHPADA Seal

The SEAL shall be awarded only to handicraft items produced from one or a combination of any of the following natural materials indigenous to or grown/mined/produced/manufactured in one or more of the ASEAN countries:
1. UNESCO/AHPADA Seal of Excellence for Handicraft Products in Southeast Asia Award Certificate
2. UNESCO/AHPADA Seal of Excellence for Handicraft Products in Southeast Asia Exhibition and Trade Fair
  A handicraft exhibition and trade fair will be organized annually by AHPADA in conjunction with the announcement of the SEAL awardees for the year.
3. UNESCO/AHPADA Seal of Excellence for Handicraft Products in Southeast Asia Electronic Data Base and Internet Order Form
  All craft products which have received the SEAL will be listed on the AHPADA electronic data base for promotional and marketing purposes. On this website, orders for products awarded the SEAL are placed and will be forwarded to the producers by AHPADA. This electronic listing will assist SEAL awardees to avoid mis-use or infringement of patent or copyright of their handicraft products.

3. Eligibility

Application for the SEAL is open to all individual craft producers, community groups, cooperatives, private business concerns and/or agencies that produce commercial product lines, with the sole proviso that the applicant must reside permanently (for individuals) or be registered (for business concerns) in one of the 10 ASEAN nations: i.e. Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, or Viet Nam.
The SEAL, which is established for an indefinite period, shall be presented on an annual basis in one or more of the following categories of craft production:
- Housewares and home decoration
- Garments
- Accessories
- Ornament and Jewelry
- Giftware
- Toys
UNESCO and AHPADA reserve the right to modify or change the application categories, as needed.
The SEAL shall be awarded only to handicraft items produced from one or a combination of any of the following natural materials indigenous to or grown/mined/produced/manufactured in one or more of the ASEAN countries:
- Natural Fibers (silk, cotton, flax)
- Woods (including paper, bamboo, rattan, coconut)
- Metals (silver, gold, bronze, iron, pewter)
- Stones (precious, semi-precious, jades and others)
- Ceramics (clay, earthenware, pottery, stoneware, porcelain)
The SEAL shall be awarded on the basis of samples or prototypes of crafts products meeting the stated criteria submitted by eligible craft producers. Applicants are expected to submit true and representative samples or prototypes. All products submitted are furthermore expected to be the original creation of the applicant. Any falsified submission or any submission which infringes upon copyright and fair use principles of International Conventions shall be considered ineligible. Any SEAL awarded on the basis of such a false or unfair application shall be nullified.

4. Criteria

demonstrated excellence and standard-setting high quality in craftsmanship
creative and successful alliance of traditional skills and innovation in material, form, and/or design
expression of cultural identity and traditional aesthetic value

marketability of the craft products with potential for entering the world market

5. Submission of 2007 Applications for the Seal

Completed entry forms Please note that a number of applications submitted in the past have lacked sufficient information to comply with the Seal minimum standards. It is required from all participants to provide ALL necessary information as requested in the entry form.
Sample photograph 5" x 7" (inches) photograph of sample craft product. The photograph will be used for the certificate and website; hence it is important that applicants submit a high quality photograph of their products either in photo, slide or CD-ROM format.
Craft product samples (Please refer to Rights, Obligations and Sale of Entries for more details)
Entry processing fee in the amount of US$ 20 (US Dollars twenty). The collected fee will serve to cover SEAL entry processing and administrative costs and ASEAN exhibition and trade fair expenses.
Entry processing submitted, should be received by the AHPADA Regional Secretariat, at the following address, no later than 20 July 2007
The schedule for selection and awarding of the SEAL for 2007 is as follows:
- Submissions must be received by: 20 July 2007
- Selection by international panel of judges: 19 - 20 September 2007
- Announcement and presentation of SEAL together with opening ceremony of Exhibition and Trade Fair: 1 October 2007
- Exhibition and Trade Fair:

6. Rights, Obligations and Sale of Entries

Application for the SEAL does not constitute and should not be constructed as an application for patent or copyright protection. It is the producer’s responsibility to obtain the protection due under the law.
It is understood that applicants for the SEAL give UNESCO and AHPADA the permission to publicize the craft product(s) which they have submitted by the reproduction of the entry photographs in any medium, including on the AHPADA website.
All craft samples or prototypes submitted to AHPADA for consideration for the SEAL - regardless of whether they are awarded the SEAL or not - shall become the property of AHPADA and will not be returned. They can be disposed off by AHPADA and the proceeds will be used strictly for the purpose of supporting AHPADA activities related to the promotion of the SEAL. However, all patent, copyright and other reproduction rights are retained by the producer.
Craft entries which successfully receive the SEAL will be exhibited during the annual AHPADA Handicraft Exhibition and Trade Fair. During the fair, AHPADA will take orders for these items on behalf of the producers. Products (and product lines) receiving the SEAL will be listed on the AHPADA electronic data base and website, from which orders may also be placed.

7. Queries & Information

APHADA Regional Secretariat in Bangkok
4th Floor, Gaysorn Place

ahpadabkk@ahpada.com

www.ahpada.com

Office of the UNESCO Regional Advisor for Culture in Asia and the Pacific
UNESCO Bangkok

culture@unesco-proap.org

www.unescobkk.org/culture/craftseal

The SUPPORT Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand (SACICT)

Bangkok Office

info@sacict.net