Languages used in AtoM

The working languages of UNESCO are French and English. It is thus the aim of the UNESCO Archives to publish all archival description in French and English. However, we will not translate formal or proper titles (as they were given to the records by their creators) of items, files, or series. In other words, any descriptive information that is supplied by the archivist should be translated.

That is the policy. However, as we tackle the enormous challenge of describing all our holdings according to the archival description standards of ISAD-G and ISAAR, our first goal is rapidity and getting as much material online as fast as possible. Archivists thus work in the language with which they are most comfortable and the translations will follow as soon as possible. We thank you for your patience. Please contact the archives if you have a concern: archives@unesco.org.