The programme was originally established in Southeast Asia in 2001 by UNESCO and the ASEAN Handicraft Promotion and Development Association (AHPADA) and was expanded to Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan) and South Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) in 2004.
The SEAL of Excellence programme has received a growing interest among artisans and various actors in the handicrafts world and is used as a model to elaborate other projects for the support of traditional craftsmanship, such as the initiative of the Eurasia Foundation in Kazakhstan, in which UNESCO participates.
In 2006/2007 it is foreseen to extend the SEAL of Excellence to the five following sub-regions: West Africa, East Africa, North Africa/Arab States, Central America and the Caribbean, and Central Europe. Furthermore, the SEAL will continue to be awarded in Central Asia, South-East Asia and South Asia. Click here to read further news:
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
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