UNESCO places 2 Ukrainian cultural heritage sites under enhanced protection

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has placed two Ukrainian cultural heritage sites under enhanced protection. They are the National Historical and Memorial Reserve Babyn Yar and the Odesa Literature Museum, as announced by Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications.

“I am grateful for the support of the participating countries,” said Anastasiia Bondar, Deputy Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine.

Bondar added that the ministry also urges the establishment of international legal accountability for the destruction of cultural treasures under enhanced protection.

The decision was made during the 19th session of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. 

The committee also discussed international support for Ukraine, as well as the protection and retrospective inventory of cultural values listed on the International List of Cultural Heritage under Enhanced Protection.

“The committee members expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian people and deep concern over the deliberate destruction of the cultural sector by Russian forces,” the ministry said.

Earlier, 25 Ukrainian cultural heritage sites were added to this list, including most of the items on the UNESCO World Heritage List and the Tentative List of World Heritage, excluding those located in temporarily-occupied territories.

On Dec. 5, UNESCO recognized the Ukrainian kobza and wheel lyre tradition as a cultural heritage of humanity, while on Dec. 3, it acknowledged the Ukrainian tradition of egg decoration.

The hearty, rustic beet-root borshch soup was included on UNESCO’s cultural heritage list “in need of urgent safeguarding” in 2022. 

During a massive Russian attack on Odesa in November 2023, the building of the Odesa Fine Arts Museum, located within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was severely damaged.