UNESCO Experts Visit Odessa

A joint mission from UNESCO and ICOMOS has arrived in Odessa for an official visit.

«We are pleased to meet you in your city. Our mission is to gather information and conduct consultations to agree on the next steps for developing frameworks to preserve the attributes of the World Heritage site from various threats», stated Ms. Bertha de San Cristobal, head of the Europe and North America department at UNESCO.

The monitoring mission was initially scheduled for 2023 but was postponed due to increased military activities. 
The goal of the mission is to assess the overall condition of the World Heritage site and evaluate the implementation of the recommendations provided by the Heritage Committee.

One of the recommendations was to maintain the site's integrity. This includes identifying attributes of universal value, as well as assessing conservation issues, including conditions of integrity, protection, and management. 

International experts noted that some challenges are objectively related to the war, while others stem from political emotions. 

«UNESCO is not about politics; it is about history, culture, and our heritage. For us, the residents of Odessa, it's about our lives. Therefore, preserving the integrity of our World Heritage site is crucial,» emphasized Mayor Gennady Trukhanov. 

The mission will be in Odessa for several days, including meetings and field visits. Over nearly three years of conflict, around 170 cultural heritage sites have suffered varying degrees of damage in Odessa.