How to protect Ukraine's cultural heritage sites from destruction and appropriation by Russians and return the stolen property

On25 April, at 12.00, the Ukraine-Uninform Media Centre will host a press conference "How to protect Ukraine's cultural heritage from destruction and appropriation by the Russians and return the stolen property", during which the Coalition "Ukraine. Five in the Morning" Coalition presents an analytical report "Mechanisms for the Protection and Restitution of Cultural Property in the Context of the Armed Conflict between Russia and Ukraine".

For ten years, the Russian Federation has been carrying out continuous attacks that damage Ukraine's cultural heritage. The physical destruction and theft of cultural property is one of the ways in which the Russians implement their colonial policy. Numerous monuments of local and regional significance, natural heritage, and UNESCO World Heritage sites are under threat: Chersonesos Tavriya, Mangup-Kale, Askania-Nova National Biosphere Reserve, Mykolaiv Astronomical and Odesa Observatories, St Borys Hlibskyi Cathedral in Chernihiv, Stone Grave in Zaporizhzhia, and many others. The question of accounting for the damage done to Ukrainian culture, its return or restoration, arises. Also important is the issue of changes to Ukrainian legislation that will allow for a qualitative assessment of damage to cultural property and movable cultural heritage.

Speakers

• Daryna Pidhorna, lawyer at the Regional Human Rights Centre;

• Natalia Hendel, expert at the Foundation for Support of Basic Research, researcher at the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights (online);

• Timur Korotkyi, Chairman of the Foundation for Support of Basic Research (online);

• Anastasiia Cherednychenko, President of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) of Ukraine;

• Mariana Tomyn, Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture and Information Policy.

Issues for discussion

• Ukraine's experience in applying the practice of reparations: legal framework, current state and problems to be solved.

• Means of international justice for the protection and return of cultural property.

• State policies and plans for the protection and preservation of cultural heritage stolen and/or destroyed during the armed conflict.

• What state and public initiatives exist today to return the lost cultural heritage and how effective they are.

• Is it possible to bring to justice those who stole, destroyed and/or facilitated such activities?

Link to the event on Facebook

25.04.2024

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