UNESCO World Heritage Committee officially condemns Russia’s aggression and recognizes threat to Ukraine’s culture

For the first time, UNESCO officially noted that the actions of the Russian Federation are a threat to the objects of the cultural heritage of Ukraine and called on Russia to "refrain from such actions."

Rubryka writes about this, referring to the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

As noted in the department, on July 25, at the 46th session of the committee, the issue of the state of conservation of the Ukrainian World Heritage Sites "Kyiv: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra," "L'viv—the Ensemble of the Historic Centre," and "The Historic Centre of Odesa" was discussed.

The World Heritage Committee (WHC) called on the Russian Federation to "refrain from any actions that would cause direct or indirect damage to the properties and buffer zone, the cultural heritage of Ukraine as a whole, and the properties inscribed on the Tentative List."

In addition, as the ministry emphasized, Moscow was urged to fulfill its obligations under international law, including Article 6 of the World Heritage Convention.

The Security Council also, for the first time, strongly condemned Russia's full-scale aggression and purposeful destruction of cultural heritage and Ukrainian identity.

The department emphasized that the committee's decision has "long-term positive consequences" for Ukraine. As of now, the most important thing is that the Committee has officially recorded that it is Russia that is the cause of the threat to the objects of the cultural heritage of Ukraine.

"Secondly, Ukraine's support in the CWC sends a clear signal to the aggressor country that the civilized world stands with Ukraine in restoring justice and protecting Ukraine's cultural heritage," said Iryna Borovets, head of the National Commission for UNESCO and deputy Minister of foreign affairs of Ukraine.

We would like to remind you that Ukraine will start putting cultural monuments currently located in the temporarily occupied territories (TOTs) and territories where hostilities are taking place in the ePamiatka register.

This is necessary to be able to influence the amount of reparations from the Russian Federation and allow to legally prove damage to the cultural heritage of Ukraine, in particular, from the destruction of monuments of world importance, such as Chersonesus in Crimea.

Russian occupation authorities in Crimea plan to build a new building and a so-called "historical and archaeological park" on the territory of the site of the destroyed ancient Byzantine city-state of Tavrian Chersonesus. This act of vandalism is yet another argument that Ukraine should not wait.

With the onset of hostilities, looting and illegal trading of archaeological artifacts commenced, leading to a rise in "black antiquities" activities – where objects are discovered and sold in clandestine auctions.

As Rubryka wrote, since 2014, Russia has been waging an open war against Ukraine. Humanitarian aggression is underway — the enemy is destroying, looting, and appropriating objects of Ukraine's historical and cultural heritage. The enemy commits thousands of crimes, and among them are attempts to destroy Ukraine's national memory by destroying archeological, architectural, and cultural monuments.

Read more in our piece: "Stolen heritage: Russia's archaeological crimes."