War-Torn Ukraine: UNESCO Declares Kyiv and Lviv World Heritage Sites at Risk

In a significant move towards protecting historic sites, UNESCO's annual World Heritage Committee meeting in Riyadh declared that the World Heritage Sites in Kyiv and Lviv, Ukraine, are at risk and in need of better preservation.

The decision comes as a consequence of the war ignited by Russia's invasion, which poses a threat to these sites. Kyiv's Saint Sophia Cathedral, dating back to the 11th century and a prominent landmark in the city, and the medieval buildings of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery are now included in UNESCO's list of endangered World Heritage sites.

UNESCO highlighted that the optimal conditions required for the full protection of their Outstanding Universal Value are no longer met due to the ongoing war. These historic sites have been under constant threat since the start of the invasion in February 2022. Lviv, an important city near the Polish border, renowned for its historic centre, became part of the World Heritage List in 1998.

The inclusion of Lviv's medieval structures and traces of its diverse ethnic communities, such as Polish, Ukrainian, Jewish, and Armenian, aims to garner international support for their preservation. This decision follows the addition of the historic centre of Odesa to the World Heritage List in January.

Unfortunately, Odesa's city centre and an Orthodox cathedral suffered damage in a Russian strike, leading to condemnation by UNESCO. The move to designate these sites as endangered by UNESCO is a crucial step in discouraging further bombardment by Russia and rallying support for their conservation.

It serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding cultural heritage in times of conflict. Earlier this week, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee also voted to exclude the city of Venice from its endangered list, highlighting the organization's ongoing efforts to protect and preserve treasured sites around the world.