UC-CIPO safeguards the cultural identities of 25,321 cultures living in 269 countries and regions their designs, patterns, colors, music, dance, food, fashion, craft, medicine and language. Registered once, protected everywhere: every element is timestamped on UC Chain, endorsed by its community, and covered by the UC Cultural Code.
Register your culture → Visit the officeEvery culture holds a full identity across twelve domains. Each element registered is one element safeguarded.
Classical intellectual property protects companies that can pay per country. UC-CIPO protects communities free, collective and worldwide from day one.
| CLASSICAL IP OFFICES | UC-CIPO | |
|---|---|---|
| Who is protected | Single owner person or company | The community collective cultural ownership |
| Cost | Fees per element, per country | Free for every culture, always |
| Coverage | One country per filing | 269 countries and regions in one registration |
| Duration | Expires after 10–25 years | Permanent heritage does not expire |
| Proof | Paper certificate | UC Chain anchor immutable blockchain timestamp |
| Requirement | Novelty new creations only | Provenance living heritage of any age |
Four steps from entry to permanent protection.
Submit your culture, country/region, discipline and the elements you safeguard free at unitedcultures.org/register.
Portfolio, government ID, Letter of Cultural Mandate from your Ministry or cultural authority, and provenance evidence.
A 30-day community window and the continental Cultural Advisory Panel examine every entry.
Approved elements are hashed onto UC Chain and receive the UC Authenticity Mark permanent proof of origin.
Four divisions carry the mandate, modelled on the world's intellectual property institutions.
Registers elements per culture, per country and region. Issues the UC Authenticity Mark.
Register →Maintains the UC Cultural Code attribution duty, benefit-share duty and the sanction ladder.
Detects unauthorised use, issues formal notices, publishes violation flags, prepares evidence for the International Court of Cultural Justice (UC-ICCJ).
Seven continental panels community members, academics and ministry representatives examine entries and judge disputes.
Visit the office →