Statement from the board of directors of the Nordic World Heritage Association.
The Board of Directors of the Nordic World Heritage Association strongly condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and calls for an immediate end to the invasion, human suffering and loss of life.
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Since it´s founding it has sought to build peace through international cooperation in education, sciences and culture.
UNESCO seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
Russia ratified the World Heritage Convention in 1988 and by doing so Russia has promised to safeguard sites of outstanding universal value in Russia and elsewhere.
At current there are seven World Heritage sites in Ukraine
1. Kyiv: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra
2. L'viv – the Ensemble of the Historic Centre
3. Struve Geodetic Arc
4. Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe
5. Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatian Metropolitans
6. Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora
7. Wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian Region in Poland and Ukraine
The Struve Geodetic Arch is a prime example of an peaceful cooperation as a trans national serial nomination which has links to ten countries, including Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and the republic of Moldova.
The Nordic World heritage Association mourns human losses and destruction of Ukraine. We fear that the conflict will cause irreparable damages to the World Heritage Sites of Ukraine. The board of the Nordic World heritage Association calls for an immediate end of the invasion and honors the professionals working to safeguard the World Heritage Sites of Ukraine.
The board also refers to UNESCO´s statement of the development of the situation in Ukraine.
Board of Directors
Nordic World Heritage Association.
