UNESCO Adds the Iconic Odesa City to Its List of Endangered World Heritage Sites

Earlier this week, UNESCO announced that it would add the historic district of Odesa, Ukraine, to its World Heritage Sites in Danger. The decision resulted from the ongoing conflict in the region. The World Heritage Committee opted to issue the designation via an emergency procedure at a meeting in Paris.

Audrey Azoulay, the director general of UNESCO, said in a statement, “Odesa, a free city, a world city, a historical port that has left its stamp on cinema, literature, and the art forms, is thus placed under the strengthened protection of the worldwide community.” “While the conflict rages on, this inscription represents everyone’s resolve to keep this city, which has historically endured international crises, safe from further devastation.”

UNESCO claims to have already taken measures to safeguard essential works of art and architecture in the city, including digitizing a documentary collection and approximately 1,000 artworks at the Odesa State Archives. They have also aided with the rehabilitation of the Odesa Museum of Fine Arts and the Odesa Museum of Modern Art after they were both damaged.

Odesa: Pearl of the Black Sea

In the late 18th century, Catherine the Great founded the city. It expanded to become a significant seaport hub for the arts, education, and cultural exchange. Many see it as a prize in the battle because it is home to hundreds of buildings of architectural and historical significance to both the Russians and the Ukrainians.

Several times since the war began, Russian armies have invaded the famous city. Ukrainians have been attempting to secure the port city by barricading streets and stacking sandbags to preserve historic sites and other buildings of prominence.

UNESCO has confirmed damage to 236 cultural properties in Ukraine as of January 23, 2023. These properties include places of worship, museums, libraries, historical and artistic structures, and monuments.

To keep this database up-to-date, the organization does initial assessments of damage to cultural properties by verifying reports of damage with various reliable sources.

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, commented on Twitter, “I am grateful to our allies who assist in defending our gem from the Russian invasion.” In October, Zelenskyy submitted his formal application for World Heritage status when the Russian-Ukrainian war was at its peak.

The International alliance for the protection of heritage in Crisis received funding of $1 million from the J. Paul Getty Trust in November 2022 as part of broader protection efforts in Ukraine (ALIPH).

This funding intends to help Ukraine better safeguard its historical and cultural landmarks. The Ukrainian Action Plan from ALIPH funds a preservation effort for cultural institutions, including libraries and museums. They are also helping fund projects that use 3D scanning to archive Ukraine’s historical sites meticulously.