The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has submitted a request to the Secretariat of the Hague Convention to include 20 objects in the International List of Cultural Values under Enhanced Protection. On September 7, during a meeting of the UNESCO Committee, Ukraine's initiative was supported, and a decision was made to include the objects under enhanced protection. This information is provided by the website of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine. This concerns most of the objects that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage List and the previous UNESCO World Heritage List, excluding objects located on temporarily occupied territories, the historical center of Odessa, and Chernihiv. This is an exceptionally large list, including the following objects:

1. Saint Sophia Cathedral and related monastery buildings, Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

2. Lviv - Historic Center Ensemble.

3. Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Region of Ukraine. Yasynia Holy Ascension Church.

4. Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Region of Ukraine. Zhovkva Holy Trinity Church.

5. Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Region of Ukraine. Matkiv Virgin Mary's Exaltation Church.

6. Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Region of Ukraine. Nyzhniy Verbizh Holy Virgin Mary's Assumption Church.

7. Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Region of Ukraine. Potelich Holy Spirit Descent Church.

8. Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Region of Ukraine. Rohatyn - Holy Spirit Descent Church.

9. Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatian Metropolitans.

10. Struve Geodetic Arc - Katerynivka.

11. Struve Geodetic Arc - Baranivka.

12. Struve Geodetic Arc - Felshtyn.

13. Struve Geodetic Arc - Staro-Nekrasivka.

14. Kyiv National University Astronomical Observatory.

15. Cultural Landscape of Canyon in Kamianets-Podilskyi.

16.Sofiivka Dendrological Park.

17. State Industry (Dzerzhynskii) Building.

18. Odesa National University Astronomical Observatory.

19. Mykolaiv Astronomical Observatory.

20. Taras Shevchenko's Burial Site and State Historical and Natural Preserve Museum.

"For over 500 days, the Ukrainian people have continued to demonstrate their resilience and determination in the fight against the aggressor. We do not accept the war as usual. We do not accept the occupation of our territories or the destruction of our cultural heritage. Therefore, let this meeting be another step in our joint mission to preserve and restore cultural heritage," said Anastasia Bondar, Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, during the meeting.

During the meeting, issues of international support for Ukraine were also discussed. The committee participants confirmed their readiness to provide assistance to Ukraine. In particular, Ukraine will continue to receive international assistance from the Emergency Fund. The previous findings of the UNESCO International Expert Mission on the assessment of damage to cultural and religious objects in Odessa will be taken into account. Training for military personnel and other events are also planned.

The participants and attendees of the committee expressed their solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, as well as deep concern about the deliberate destruction of the cultural sector by Russian troops.

As a result of the meeting, a Declaration on the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Ukraine, proposed by the Ukrainian side, was adopted." (Quelle: www.risu.ua, 8. September 2023)