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Ukraine: UNESCO gathers military, cultural, and justice personnel for the protection of cultural properties
This initiative, organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, and the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, is one of UNESCO’s numerous responses to the increasing damage of cultural sites all over Ukraine. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, 432 cultural sites have been verified by the Organization as damaged or destroyed.
To enhance the preservation of Ukraine’s cultural heritage, UNESCO has gathered over 45 participants from across Ukraine, uniting three key sectors closely involved in safeguarding cultural property. The course, focusing on the implementation of UNESCO 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its two Protocols, was designed by both international and national experts, and featured a mix of joint sessions and specialized parallel modules aimed at fostering strong collaboration among all national entities.
The entire civilized world, already 70 years ago has determined the necessity to preserve cultural heritage, even in the situation of an armed conflict. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine pays close attention to the issue of implementation and compliance with the norms of international law.
It is very important that all the parties involved in the implementation of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its two Protocols are present today. I am confident: effective justice against the destruction of cultural heritage is possible only with the involvement of all partners.
Throughout the training, participants engaged in a combination of technical modules, practical exercises, and scenario-based learning, led by experts in their respective fields. The focus was on the specific roles and responsibilities each entity holds in protecting cultural property, as well as the critical importance of intersectoral cooperation.
The third and fourth days of the workshop were dedicated to hands-on exercises in collaboration with the Museum of Books and Printing of Ukraine in Kyiv and the Central House of Culture in Irpin. Here, participants practiced assessing damage to cultural property using the UNESCO-ICCROM International Form and unified methodology. They also identified first-aid recovery measures and performed evacuation drills, working closely with museum staff to simulate real-life scenarios.
Joining our efforts will make it possible not only to strengthen the resistance to the Russian Federation's actions, but also to form the base that will work for the future recovery.
Participants also deepened their understanding of international legal obligations under UNESCO’s normative texts, particularly the stipulations of the 1954 Hague Convention and its two Protocols (1954 and 1999) and the 1970 UNESCO Convention governing the protection of cultural property.
During this training, we gained new knowledge that will help us in the future to cooperate with representatives of other law enforcement agencies and government agencies regarding the protection of cultural heritage in Ukraine. Cultural heritage is the legacy of our people, our identity and our statehood. This is our history, which we must preserve and pass on to future generations.