46 UNESCO member states have refused to participate in the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee while it is chaired by the russian federation. The meeting was scheduled in Kazan, russia. The parties of the 1972 World Heritage Convention signed an open letter due to russia’s systematic violation of international humanitarian law in Ukraine.
The signatory countries are shocked with russia’s aggressive actions in Ukraine, where intense military actions have been continuing for more than a month. Many people died, in some places entire cities were destroyed.
“A civilized world which understands the value of cultural identity for the country show solidarity with Ukraine. UNESCO must prevent russia from chairing the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, and move it from Kazan. The russian federation, which strikes at our churches, museums, monuments, theaters under any circumstances has no moral right to continue to be called as a member of an organization which purpose is to take care of culture. Instead, we are happy to organize a committee in Lviv,” – said Oleksandr Tkachenko, Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine.
We should also remind that earlier the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine called for UNESCO to transfer the 45th session from Kazan, russia to Lviv, Ukraine and to exclude the russian federation from the organization. Because russia has been systematically violating international humanitarian law and international conventions since 2014.
The signatory countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Saint Kitts & Nevis, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ukraine, United States of America.
