Series consists of different working files on various aspects of the department's work. Documents include mission reports, correspondence, project documents, plans, budgets and bills.

Series contains documents related to the various aspects of the work of the Arab Region Department.

Various files concerning the administration and activities of the office

The first documentary films produced by the organisation were published in the 1950s in order to show the activities of the organisation and to promote them to the external public. In 1958 a unit for radio and television production was established and started to broadcast regularly images taken on the occasion of official visits of state presidents, journeys of the Director General, inauguration etc.

The aim of UNESCO radio was to contribute to the understanding of the ideals that the Organization stands for, through discussion of issues in the field of education, science, culture and communication. Around fifteen 30-minute feature programmes were produced each year in at least three official languages of UNESCO, English, French, Spanish or Russian. Their subjects, chosen on the basis of their interest both for UNESCO and the general public, covered a vast field ranging from Aids to astronomy, from biodiversity to bioethics, from street children to indigenous peoples, from the violence of war to the culture of peace.
The recordings were offered on tape or cassette to over 400 national, public and community radios in all parts of the world (257 stations broadcasting in English, 60 in French, 60 in Spanish and 42 in Russian) as well as to international short-wave broadcasters.

Series consists of files related to the 1995 and 1996 UNESCO Peace Games. Documents date from the early conception and development of the games, and include research related to youth and the theme of peace; correspondence related to potential sponsorships; day-to-day correspondence; correspondence with Director-General Federico Mayor as well as delegates from Member States; an evaluation of the feasibility and success of the games; press and media coverage files; and three-dimensional souvenir objects or gifts from or related to the games. The series is arranged in four subseries, however, files are numbered sequentially despite the subseries.

The series contains an incomplete set of transcriptions of debates from the sessions of the General Assembly. Only a few sessions have transcriptions.

Study Series No: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 16

These sound records contain mostly floor recordings of conferences and other events, speeches of the Director General and other important persons and systematic recordings of all meetings of the General Conference and the Executive Board.

Publications of the Social and Human Science Sector and its predecessors

The UNESCO Collection of Representative Works (or UNESCO Catalogue of Representative Works) was a UNESCO translation project that was active for about 57 years, from 1948 to about 2005. The purpose of the project was to translate masterpieces of world literature, primarily from a lesser known language into a more international language such as English and/or French. There were ~1,300 works in the catalog, consisting of over sixty-five different works of literature and representing around fifty Oriental languages, twenty European languages, and a number of African and Oceanian literatures and languages. The project also included translations from one less widely known language into another.

UNESCO financed the translations and publications, but UNESCO itself was not a publisher, instead working with other publishers who sold the books independently.

Series consists of files on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) with whom UNESCO maintains or maintained official relations. It reflects the process of admission to categories of official relations as well as the ongoing activities undertaken in observance of the obligations of such categories. The files contain information on the NGO itself, but not necessarily on projects undertaken jointly with UNESCO. Files are arranged chronologically reflecting different transfers over time, and then roughly alphabetically by the French name of the NGO.

The Reflection Committee was established by a decision of the IBI Executive Council during its 54th session in April 1986. The Committee's purpose was to evaluate the present situation of the Organization and to reflect on future orientations and prospects. The Committee was composed of former Presidents of the governing bodies of the IBI - the General Assembly or the Executive Council. The series contains correspondence and records of the meeting of the Committee.

Wide range of subjects and types

The series consists mostly of summaries of the decisions taken and agendas for the meetings of the General Assembly and Executive Board. Although the material partly duplicates information found elsewhere, the series was retained to compensate for gaps in the subfonds IBI/1 General Assembly records and IBI/2 Executive Board records.

The series contain mostly copies of letters, memos, cables, mission reports signed by Adiseshiah or his Executive Assistants, as well as speeches and addresses delivered by him. Most items are of official character, however some are semi-official or personal. There are a few letters received in the files, however the majority of correspondence is out-going mail. There are also inspection reports and mission reports, documents on the negotiations with the representatives of Member States, as well as discussions with UNESCO representatives, officials and experts in the field. The series is arranged in 11 subseries, however, files are numbered sequentially despite the subseries.

Publications authored by the International Commission for the Study of Communication Problems can be found in UNESCO's main documents and publications repository, UNESDOC: LINK (as of June 2023)

Series consists of official Preparatory Commission documents issued under codes corresponding to the creating committee or sub-committee.

Series consists of files from the Population Division (SHS/POP) and the Division of Population and Human Settlements (SHS/POP). The files mostly pertain to programme activities in the fields of urbanization, architecture, family planning and population. Activities include the execution of UNFPA and Participation Programme projects, as well as information dissemination and training. Files are in no particular order.

Periodicals published directly by UNESCO

Subseries consists of outgoing mail as registered by the Secretariat of the Director General. The series is incomplete. Files prior to 1985 are missing except for one dating from 1983. There are small gaps in files from the beginning of 1985; however, files from that point onwards to 1988 are more complete.

Subseries consists of original correspondence between IBI management and both internal and external correspondents. Correspondence prior to 1982 is missing. After 1982, the files appear to be complete up until 29 March 1988.

Series consists of the correspondence files of the OIM. It is arranged into thirteen sub-series, organized according to the original alpha-numeric classification system.

Series consists of subject files of the Director-General on diverse matters. The first transfer dates from the tenure of René Maheu, however, records in some files date from before this time. Each transfer is arranged in rough alphabetical order and thus the series as a whole is arranged in a repeating alphabetical order. In general, the files were transferred at the end of a Director-General's term in office. Files contain correspondence, speeches, reports, and handwritten notes.

Series consists of works compiled and published by non-governmental organizations which were either in receipt of specific funding from UNESCO, as well as those publications from NGOs which had official relations with UNESCO and were exchanging information based on the conditions of this relationship.

Publications of the Natural Science Sector and its predecessors

Series consists of documents relating to the cooperation activities at a national level between the Department and different states. The countries concerned are: Egypt, Lebanon, Kuweit, Saudi Arabi, Tunisia, Syria, Oman, and Qatar.

Mission reports and memoranda destined for the Cabinet or the Director-General were centralized in the Cabinet of the Director-General. The series consists of reports and memoranda for the years 1984-1986. Other years are missing.

Maps, posters and similar material produced and published by UNESCO

The rules on what is to be considered as a Main documents have changed throughout UNESCO’s existence. According to the definition giving in the UNESCO Manual, Secretariat handbook on administrative methods and precedures, main documents are:
Main series documents are mostly programme documents of a definitive nature which are distributed to all Member States. They include i.a. reports of meetings, surveys, analysis of replies to questionnaires and bibliographical and clearing house material.

Works compiled and published byUNESCO in cooperation with other institutions

The series consists of legal instruments signed between UNESCO and non-governmental organizations, universities, foundations, private companies, or individuals. The series includes state universities and academies, but not research institutes with reporting relations to branches of government. United Nations University (UNU), University for Peace (UPEACE) and World Maritime University (WMU) agreements are filed under series A as they were established by the UN system. All UNESCO Chair agreements are filed in this series, but UNITWIN agreements may be found in series A or B. The Archives staff also used this series at first to register special documents or objects of intrinsic value, such as medals, emblems, speeches, recordings, and stamps. The series further contains subseries of agreements for the safeguarding campaigns. Agreements are arranged in order of the reference code given upon registration in the Archives and are, therefore, roughly in chronological order.

Series primarily consists of legal instruments signed between UNESCO and member states, including state agencies and corporations. Instruments include co-operation agreements, host-country agreements, funds-in-trust agreements and plans of operation. UNESCO agreements signed with local governments are also filed in this series. The series also contains agreements signed between UNESCO and international, regional or other multilateral organizations as well as all multilateral conventions and recommendations adopted by the General Conference or other intergovernmental conferences which designated UNESCO as a depository. United Nations University (UNU), University for Peace (UPEACE) and World Maritime University (WMU) agreements are filed in this series, but other agreements signed with universities, including state universities, can be found in series B. UNITWIN agreements may be filed in this series or series B. Instruments are given a reference code and registered upon receipt in the Archives and are therefore in rough chronological order.

The series includes the records of the Information Society Division (CI/INF). Files include records on the Division's projects and programmes, and on the work of numerous related committees, boards, and commissions.

The IBI Documentation Centre maintained a library of material related to informatics or information technologies. The material was organized according to thematic groupings which were assigned a classification code. The series has three subseries, including one on the history of the organization from its creation to the 1980s entitled "Histoire de l'IBI."

Series consists of publications (periodicals, volumes, and series or collections) that IICI issued during its existence.

Series consists of IICI account books and financial registers arranged into thirty-six volumes.

Series consists of official documents of the IICI, the International Museums Office and the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation. The original order has been maintained; documents are organized roughly in alpha-numeric order or in alphabetical order according to document code.

Series consists of the correspondence files of the IICI. They are arranged in their original order according to an alpha-numeric classification scheme.

Series consists of ODG files on the Hammarskjold Commission - an independent body commissioned to advise the Director-General on ways and means of improving staff efficiency and management in the UNESCO Secretariat. The files are in original order.

The General Assembly met for 13 ordinary sessions and 6 extraordinary sessions. The documents include information on: decisions made at each session; financial reports; and, reports on the activities and budget of the Organization. Records from the 8th session of the General Assembly are missing from the series.

Official documents and inactive correspondence files concerning the preparatory and general assemblies of the International Council for Philosophy and Humanistic Studies

The Sub-fonds includes the records of the Division of Freedom of Expression, Democracy and Peace and its antecessors, part of the Information and Communication Sector of UNESCO, of all projects and programmes of CI/FED and of the numerous committees, boards, and commissions related to CI/FED whose records were/are the responsibility of UNESCO.

281.32 linear metres of textual records

All works published directly by UNESCO Field Offices

Series consists of fellowship files created by the Division of Training Abroad. It is arranged roughly in chronological order. Files contain applications to the programme and administrative correspondence. They are often very slight (3-5 documents), but can also have final reports and more substantive correspondence.

The External Relations service in the Cabinet of the Director-General was responsible for maintaining relations with member countries, non-member countries and organizations operating in the field of informatics (with or without formal cooperation agreements with the Organization). The service kept up-to-date information on the IBI's relations with these actors as well as reports on shared activities. The files consist primarily of correspondence exchanged between the IBI and the country or organization. Beyond letters, telegrams and telexes, the files include reports, brochures, and copies of agreements. The series has been arranged into three subseries:
-IBI/6/1/1 Governmental organization files
-IBI/6/1/2 Non-governmental organization files
-IBI/6/1/3 Country files

Series consists of correspondence exchanged between the Department and member states and different organizations.

The IBI Executive Council met for 57 ordinary sessions and 4 extraordinary sessions. The series consists of an incomplete set of files on the sessions, containing the Council's decision and reports on the programme activities and finances of the Organization. The series starts at the 18th Session. Information on prior sessions can be found in the reference documents of the office of the Director-General of the IBI (series IBI/5/1/1).

Series consists of an incomplete set of transcripts and audio-recordings from the sessions of the Executive Council. Of the 57 ordinary sessions and 4 extraordinary sessions, there are only records from 29 sessions in this series.

Series consists of files of the ODG generated from the Private Meetings of the Executive Board. Senior posts are discussed at such meetings, including matters such as nominations, appointments, extensions of contracts, salaries, and the structure of the secretariat. The files consists of PRIV documents issued from the meetings (open for consultation after 20 years in another series), as well as notes and internal memoranda circulated between members of the Directorate. Series begins at the 70th Session of the Executive Board (1965) and ends at the 155th Session (1998).