Endangered heritage in Ukraine: UNESCO reinforces protective measures

by Joe Kelly | Mar 15, 2022 | Faith Spaces

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, UNESCO has taken action within the framework of its mandate, in particular to protect culture. A new progress report has just been released.

“We must safeguard the cultural heritage in Ukraine, as a testimony of the past but also as a catalyst for peace and cohesion for the future, which the international community has a duty to protect and preserve,” said Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General, at the start of the conflict.

UNESCO is in permanent contact with all relevant institutions, as well as with Ukrainian cultural professionals, to assess the situation and to reinforce the protection of cultural properties.

Emblem to identify and protect cultural places from bombardments

“The first challenge is to mark cultural heritage sites and monuments and recall their special status as protected areas under international law.” said Audrey.

The Organisation is in contact with Ukrainian authorities to mark cultural sites and monuments with the distinctive “Blue Shield” emblem of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict to avoid deliberate or accidental damages.

Properties inscribed on World Heritage list, such as the site of Kyiv: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, are considered a priority. The marking process started this weekend at the site of L’viv – the Ensemble of the Historic Centre.

Satellite monitoring of the damage

UNESCO, with its partner UNITAR (United Nations Institute for Training and Research), also analyses satellite imagery for priority sites, which are endangered or already impacted, in order to assess damage.

“As of today, a dozen priority sites are already covered by this monitoring system, including World Heritage Sites,” said Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Contact has also been established with civil society, living heritage professionals and practitioners regarding the impact of the war on the situation of artists and cultural institutions.

Response to the needs of Ukrainian cultural professionals

New meetings with Ukrainian cultural professionals – World Heritage site managers, museum directors and professionals in charge of immovable and movable heritage – are scheduled on 9 and 10 March 2022, in order to identify urgent needs.

To address these needs, UNESCO will mobilise international partners during an emergency response coordination meeting with UNITAR, the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), Blue Shield International, the International Council of Museums (ICOM), the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and ALIPH, among others.

PHOTO CREDIT: Credit: Rbrechko /CC BY-SA 4.0