US Diplomacy and Ukrainian Ministry Unite to Preserve Cultural Treasures

On July 29, the Deputy Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications (MCSC) for European Integration, Andriy Najos, met with Jonas Stewart, Head of the Public Diplomacy Department of the Embassy of the United States of America in Ukraine, and Matthew Wilson, Deputy Attaché for Education and Culture, where the main topic was the preservation and protection of Ukrainian cultural heritage.

The Gaze reports on it, referring to the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine.

Najos informed the Embassy representatives about the facts of the illegal inclusion of Ukrainian museum exhibits in the state catalog of the Russian Federation, which is a direct violation of the provisions of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.

He also reported on the development by the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications, together with the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM), of a comprehensive action plan on the illicit movement of cultural property. In addition, an international conference is being prepared, at which EU countries will present their national models for preventing the export of cultural property.

Among the key topics of discussion was also the initiative of the American organization “Conflict Observatory”, which documents war crimes, including those committed against cultural heritage sites.

Additionally, the Deputy Minister also reported on the work on introducing sanctions against those involved in the theft of Ukrainian cultural values.

"This was the result of clear interaction between the MCSC and the Ukrainian expert community and is an example of concrete steps in the international legal field," the report says.

As The Gaze informed earlier, as of July 21, Russian aggression has resulted in the destruction and damage of 1,528 cultural heritage sites and 2,359 cultural infrastructure facilities.