71st anniversary of Ukraine's membership in UNESCO: how many Ukrainian sites are under the organization's enhanced protection

To date, 27 Ukrainian sites have been added to the International List of Cultural Property under Enhanced Protection. 7 cultural sites have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

This was reported to UNN journalist by the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications in response to a request.

Details

Ukraine became a member of UNESCO in 1954, 71 years ago. And during this time, it has initiated many international programs and projects.

How many Ukrainian sites are under UNESCO enhanced protection

The ICCSC reported that as of today, 27 Ukrainian sites have been added to the International List of Cultural Property under Enhanced Protection (the "enhanced protection" mechanism is provided for by the Second Protocol to the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict of 1999).

In particular, 20 of these sites were included during the 3rd extraordinary meeting of the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (September 2023). Five sites were added to the list during the 18th meeting of the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (December 2023). Two more sites were granted "enhanced protection" status during the 19th session of the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (December 2024).

The following sites are included in this list:

• Struve Geodetic Arc – Staronekrasivka (September 7, 2023);
• Struve Geodetic Arc – Katerynivka (September 7, 2023);
• Struve Geodetic Arc – Felshtyn (September 7, 2023);
• Struve Geodetic Arc – Baranivka (September 7, 2023);
• Church of the Ascension of the Lord in Yasinya, Zakarpattia region (September 7, 2023);
• Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit in Rohatyn, Ivano-Frankivsk region (September 7, 2023);
• Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit in Potelych, Lviv region (September 7, 2023);
• Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin in Nyzhniy Verbizh, Ivano-Frankivsk region (September 7, 2023);
• Church of the Council of the Blessed Virgin in Matkiv, Lviv region (September 7, 2023);
• Church of the Holy Trinity in Zhovkva, Lviv region (September 7, 2023);
• Architectural ensemble of the Residence of the Metropolitans of Bukovina and Dalmatia (September 7, 2023);
• Research Institute (R&D) Astronomical Observatory of the Odessa National Museum (September 7, 2023);
• Astronomical Observatory of Kyiv National University (September 7, 2023);
• Research Institute of Mykolaiv Astronomical Observatory (September 7, 2023);
• Derzhprom (State Industry Building) (September 7, 2023);
• Sofiyivka Dendrological Park (September 7, 2023);
• Taras Shevchenko's grave and the State Historical and Natural Museum (September 7, 2023);
• Kyiv: St. Sophia Cathedral and related monastery buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" (September 7, 2023);
• Ensemble of the historical center of Lviv (September 7, 2023);
• Cultural landscape and canyon of Kamianets-Podilskyi (September 7, 2023);
• St. George's Church in Drohobych, Lviv region (December 14, 2023);
• Odessa National Opera and Ballet Theater (December 14, 2023);
• Odessa Regional Philharmonic named after David Oistrakh (December 14, 2023);
• Transfiguration Cathedral of Chernihiv (December 14, 2023);
• Church of the Council of St. Michael the Archangel in Uzhok, Zakarpattia region (December 14, 2023);
• National Historical and Memorial Reserve "Babyn Yar" (December 11, 2024);
• Odessa Literary Museum (December 11, 2024).

Currently, the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine is working with the regions to develop a list of sites that will be nominated in the future for inclusion in the International List of Cultural Property under Enhanced Protection

Ukraine and UNESCO outline a plan to preserve cultural heritage in times of war21.03.24, 22:09 • 33716 views

How many have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List

The ICCSC notes that as of today, 7 cultural sites have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, including:

• Kyiv: St. Sophia Cathedral and related monastery buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (since 1990);
• historical ensemble of the city of Lviv (since 1998);
• Struve Geodetic Arc (since 2005);
• architectural ensemble of the Residence of the Metropolitans of Bukovina and Dalmatia, Chernivtsi (since 2011);
• ancient city of Tauric Chersonese and its chora, AR Crimea (since 2013);
• wooden churches of the Carpathian region of Ukraine and Poland, joint Ukrainian-Polish nomination (since 2013);
• "Historical Center of Odesa" (since 2023)

UNESCO launches mission to Odesa to assess condition of historic center12.02.25, 13:11 • 37242 views

It is noted that no cultural site has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List for the period from 2024 to 2025.

Uman Dendropark "Sofiyivka" wants to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List".

Currently, the ICCSC, together with other relevant organizations and institutions, including city councils, regional military administrations, and institutions of the ICCSC's management sphere, is working on this issue, in particular, the ICCSC has received a nomination dossier for the cultural heritage site "Park "Sofiyivka". Romantic Park – Echoes of Antiquity" for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List

It is noted that a meeting of the Scientific and Methodological Council on Cultural Heritage Protection under the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine is planned to be held in the near future, at which the nomination dossier for the site "Park "Sofiyivka" will be considered. Romantic Park – Echoes of Antiquity".

At the same time, it is noted that in accordance with the first part of Article 376 of the Law of Ukraine "On the Protection of Cultural Heritage", a cultural heritage site that may have outstanding universal value and meets the criteria defined by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee is nominated by the central executive body that ensures the formation of state policy in the field of cultural heritage protection, on the recommendation of the Ukrainian National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites, to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Therefore, after consideration of the nomination dossier by the Scientific and Methodological Council on Cultural Heritage Protection, it will also be sent to the Ukrainian National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites in order to obtain a relevant recommendation, after which the nomination dossier will be further transferred to the National Commission of Ukraine for UNESCO Affairs.

How many elements of intangible cultural heritage have been included in the UNESCO International Lists

The Ministry informs that Ukraine is actively pursuing a policy of nominating elements of Ukraine's intangible cultural heritage to the UNESCO International Lists.

As of today, the following elements of intangible cultural heritage have been included in the UNESCO International Lists:

• Petrykivka decorative painting as a phenomenon of Ukrainian ornamental folk art (Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity);
• Tradition of Kosiv painted ceramics (Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity);
• Ornek - Crimean Tatar ornament and knowledge about it (Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity);
• Cossack songs of Dnipropetrovsk region (List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding);
• Culture of cooking Ukrainian borshch (List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding);
• Ukrainian Easter egg: tradition and art. International nomination prepared jointly with the Republic of Estonia (Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity);
• Practice of safeguarding the kobzar-lira tradition (Register of Best Practices for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage).

In 2025, Ukraine has already submitted the following nominations for inclusion in the UNESCO International Lists:

• element of intangible cultural heritage "Technology of embroidery "white on white" of the city of Reshetylivka, Poltava region" for inclusion in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity;
• tradition of Polissya "dudka-vykrutka" in Rivne region for inclusion in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;
• tradition of Generous Evening in Ukraine through formal and non-formal education for inclusion in the Register of Best Practices for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage;
• Agir ava ve Kaytarma – traditional dance of Crimean Tatars for inclusion in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Ukraine has also joined two international nominations:

• transhumance, seasonal herding of livestock;
• intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

This element was included in 2023 in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as a multinational nomination (Albania, Andorra, Austria, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain). According to the UNESCO 2003 Convention rules, there is a procedure for expanding an already included element to the Representative List.

• tradition of Holy Evening in Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine. The initiator of the submission of this nomination is Lithuania, which made a proposal to prepare the nomination in 2024.