Distinctive emblem is established by the 1954 Hague Convention to facilitate the recognition of cultural property. Marking of cultural property with such emblems indicates the cultural value of the property and its protected status under the law. The use of such distinctive emblems helps protect cultural property, deter crimes against it and reduce the risk of unintentional damage, both in peacetime and in the event of armed conflict.
The blue shield emblem may be used alone to mark cultural property under general protection, or to indicate personnel engaged in its protection or overseeing the Hague Convention’s implementation. When used alone, the distinctive emblem indicates the general level of protection afforded under international law to all objects, structures and sites qualifying as cultural property.
The blue shield emblem may be used as a means of identification of:
- Cultural property;
- Persons responsible for the duties of control; (link to the Article 17 of the Convention
- Personnel engaged in the protection of cultural property;
- Identity cards.
The blue shield emblem shall also be presented three times together to facilitate identifying the following:
- Immovable cultural property under special protection;
- Transport of cultural property;
- Improvised refuges to house cultural property.
The distinctive marking of cultural property under special protection has practical importance for parties in conflict. Therefore, the use of the blue shield emblem repeated three times in a triangular formation on such property is mandatory during armed conflict.
The blue shield emblem outlined by a detached external red band is the distinctive emblem for cultural property under enhanced protection. Established by the Sixth Meeting of the Parties in 2015, this distinctive emblem is intended to ensure the recognition and identification of cultural property under enhanced protection, particularly during the conduct of hostilities.