UNESCO has recently granted “provisional enhanced protection” to two significant cultural sites in Ukraine: the Odesa Literary Museum and the Babyn Yar Memorial in Kyiv. This recognition underscores the urgent need to protect Ukraine’s cultural heritage , which has faced severe threats amid the ongoing conflict.
As Russia’s war on Ukraine approaches its third anniversary, UNESCO, the cultural division of the United Nations, is intensifying efforts to safeguard invaluable cultural sites that have been deeply affected by the conflict.
The Babyn Yar Memorial is particularly poignant, honoring more than 33,000 Jews, Roma, and Soviet prisoners brutally murdered by the Nazis in 1941. Last year, the site suffered violence when a Russian missile struck nearby, resulting in the tragic loss of five lives. Fortunately, the Holocaust memorial itself remained intact, though damage was inflicted on a building intended for a new museum.
Meanwhile, the Odesa Literary Museum celebrates the literary heritage of Odesa and its prominent writers connected to this historic Black Sea port city. The museum’s impressive collection features manuscripts, books, and personal artifacts from iconic authors such as Isaac Babel, Anna Akhmatova, and Valentin Kataev, each contributing to the rich tapestry of literature within the region.
By granting enhanced protection status, UNESCO provides these sites with the utmost level of immunity against military usage and direct attacks. This move signals that any violations of these protections could be deemed a “serious violation” under the 1999 Second Protocol to the Hague Convention, potentially leading to international prosecution.
Since the onset of the war in 2022, over 340 cultural sites in Ukraine have sustained damage, including 31 museums along with various religious and historical structures. UNESCO has committed more than $10 million (€9.6 million) in support to aid the restoration of these vital sites, reaffirming the crucial role of international collaboration during crises.
UNESCO’s Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, highlighted the importance of this protection, particularly for Babyn Yar . She remarked, “In times of war, international solidarity is crucial to protect threatened cultural heritage. This decision will facilitate the enhanced security of these two Ukrainian cultural sites, including a major Holocaust remembrance site.”
Photo credit & article inspired by: Euronews
