The European Commission has published a call for experts to safeguard cultural heritage in Ukraine. This is an addition and a follow-up to the first set of measures and actions undertaken by the Commission to protect Ukrainian cultural heritage.
1. Ukrainian heritage
The Commission has published a call for experts to safeguard cultural heritage in Ukraine. The group will be composed of 25 experts, including experts from Ukraine, and will help lay out the foundations of the EU’s support in safeguarding Ukrainian cultural heritage. It will be set up as a dedicated sub-group to the Commission expert group on cultural heritage and interested people can apply until April 25.
The Commission is looking for members who have different experiences and knowledge of good practices in recovering from disasters and increasing the resilience of cultural heritage in emergency situations. The experts will also help the Commission put together a set of recommendations from recovery processes on the prevention, preparedness and recovery of cultural heritage in Ukraine. These recommendations and lessons learnt, the Commission says, could also guide relevant projects and initiatives in the future.
2. EU Work Plan for Culture
Following the war in Ukrainian territory and its impact on the country’s heritage, the EU Work Plan for Culture 2023-2026 included an action to preserve cultural heritage and empower local cultural and creative sectors in Ukraine. On January 25, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee decided to inscribe the Historic Centre of Odesa, Ukraine, on the World Heritage List. UNESCO announced it has verified damage to 235 sites of cultural importance since the Russian invasion, since January 2023. These include 104 religious sites, 18 museums, 83 buildings of historical/artistic interest, 19 monuments and 11 libraries.
