On October 3rd, the UNESCO-ICCROM methodology unification workshop for in-situ damage and risk assessment in Ukraine was held. Anastasia Bondar, the Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Policy, participated in the event online. This initiative also had the involvement of Krista Pikkat, Director of Culture and Emergencies Entity, UNESCO, Aparna Tandon, Senior Programme Leader, ICCROM, as well as representatives from national institutions and international experts in the field of cultural heritage.
During her opening remarks, Anastasia Bondar expressed gratitude for the initiative and partnership that allowed for the gathering of over 100 participants. She also emphasized the importance of harmonizing Ukrainian legislation with international standards.
Anastasia Bondar stated, “For over 1.5 years, Ukraine has been experiencing war and the destruction of cultural heritage sites. Throughout this time, government bodies, local authorities, and civil organizations, with the support of foreign partners, have been working to gather evidence and define more precisely the extent of damage inflicted on cultural heritage due to the armed aggression of the russian federation. This online workshop aims to synchronize and systematize the methodologies applied in various initiatives taking place in Ukraine. Our goal is to adapt international methodology to the relevant national legislative framework and harmonize it with international normative documents, including the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its two Protocols (1954 and 1999)”.
The workshop aims to bring together national and international partners involved in assessing damage and risks to immovable heritage and cultural property. Its goal is to harmonize standardized methodologies and the corresponding forms used in Ukraine within its national regulations.
The event is organized with the support of UNESCO and Japan Funds-in-Trust in coordination with the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine and the ICCROM’s Flagship Program – First Aid and Resilience for Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis (FAR).
