Ukraine to receive nearly €2 million for cultural heritage restoration: where funds will go
International partners have pledged to allocate nearly €2 million for the restoration of Ukraine’s cultural heritage destroyed or damaged as a result of Russian aggression.
This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture of Ukraine Tetiana Berezhna, Censor.NET reports, citing UKRINFORM.
According to her, the funding will come from several international partners. In particular, the Netherlands allocated €1 million, the United Kingdom £250,000, Luxembourg €350,000, UNESCO $60,000, and the European Commission €250,000.
What is known
The funds are primarily planned to be used for the restoration of cultural heritage sites damaged or destroyed during the war. The Ukrainian side is currently compiling a list of such sites, which will be presented to international donors.
Among the examples of sites requiring restoration, the Lviv Cathedral was mentioned during the conference as having been damaged by Russian attacks.
Details
In addition to restoration works, part of the funding will be directed toward the evacuation of museum collections to safe locations, their preservation, and proper packaging. The funds will also be used for the digitalization of cultural assets, including the creation of registers of items that were stolen or remain in occupied territories.
According to Berezhna, this is necessary not only for preserving heritage but also for future legal proceedings aimed at returning these objects to Ukraine.
The funding was announced during the international conference "Cooperation for Resilience," held in Lviv on March 30. The event brought together around 40 foreign delegations, including ministers of culture from various countries.
During the conference, the Cultural Resilience Alliance was also expanded, with Luxembourg, Portugal, Austria, Flanders, and the Eastern Europe Foundation joining. The initiative aims to support Ukrainian culture both financially and through expert assistance during the war.
