Restoration work in the historical center of Odessa. UNESCO: Babi Yar and Odessa Literary Museum included in the list of sites in need of enhanced protection Culture and education
At the request of the Ukrainian authorities, the UNESCO Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict has granted temporary enhanced protection to Babi Yar and the Odessa Literary Museum.
The Babi Yar National Historical and Memorial Preserve is located on the site of one of the largest mass executions of the Holocaust. On September 29 and 30, 1941, the Nazis murdered 33,771 Jews there. The site has become an important center for Holocaust studies and remembrance.
The Odessa Literary Museum, housed in a historic building, contains an extensive collection of 19th-century books and publications and hosts exhibitions and conferences. The museum is located in the historic center of Odessa, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The two sites join 25 other Ukrainian cultural sites that were inscribed on the International List of Cultural Heritage under Enhanced Protection in 2023.
What UNESCO Enhanced Protection Means?
Cultural heritage under UNESCO Enhanced Protection is ensured the maximum protection against attack and military use. Failure to comply with these conditions is considered a “serious breach” of the Second Protocol of the 1999 Hague Convention, which may result in criminal prosecution. This designation also serves to draw the attention of the international community to the need to protect the sites included in the list.
This initiative complements the numerous actions taken by UNESCO to protect the heritage and cultural life of Ukraine since the beginning of the war. Since February 2022, the organization has mobilized more than $20 million to support cultural and artistic workers, ensure the safety of historic buildings and museum collections, assess damage, restore damaged sites, and train police and the judiciary to combat the illicit trafficking of works of art.