Call for Russia to be thrown out of UNESCO
Following on from our Statement on the War in Ukraine published on Monday, where we outlined our support and solidarity with Ukraine and specifically our Ukrainian colleagues in the record-keeping sector, we have been in touch with the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, the International Council on Archives and various other contacts.
As a result we were made aware of the call by the Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, Oleksandr Tkachenko, for Russia to be thrown out of UNESCO and for the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee to be held somewhere other than Russia (where it is planned for 19-30th June this year).
Full statement of Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine:
“Ministry of Culture and Information Policy: Ukraine considers it unacceptable to continue Russia's presence in UNESCO
Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, published on February 27, 2022 at 20:48
Ukraine considers it unacceptable to continue Russia's presence in UNESCO.
The Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkachenko appealed to UNESCO to deprive Russia of the status of a member of UNESCO and change the host country of the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee.
Russia's armed attack on Ukraine is currently destroying many civilian and cultural heritage sites in Ukraine. Countless historical and architectural monuments and archeological sites are under threat of artillery shelling and uncontrolled movement of heavy military trucks.
Since 2014, the Russian Federation has been systematically violating international humanitarian law and international conventions on the protection of cultural heritage, in particular on the Crimean peninsula. Its actions have already damaged the ancient World Heritage-listed city of Tavria Chersonesos (Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora), the Bakhchisaray Palace of the Crimean Khans, which is on the tentative list, and other cultural heritage sites.”
We endorse this call and have worked with a journalist at i-news to place a story there – published today. Click here to read the i-news article.
UK Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport – Nadine Dorries – has added her voice to the call for the World Heritage Meeting to be moved and we hope that she will also call for Russia’s removal from UNESCO – they have already breached the 1954 Hague Convention many times both in this war and in the previous war in the Crimea in 2014.
Further Updates from other European organisations
The Archives and Records Association is a member of the ICA and we have been in touch with various organisations and members regarding the war in Ukraine.
We received this update from members who are close neighbours to Ukraine:
“The Estonian state archivist reports that on the initiative of the National Archives of Poland and three Baltic States, the ICA was contacted last week, which on the second day of the war published the official statement on its website here.
The archives of these countries have also been in direct contact with the headquarters of the General Administration of Archives of Ukraine (https://www.facebook.com/archives.ua) in Kyiv in recent days. As a result of these contacts, it is known that, given the current situation on the ground, Ukrainian colleagues do not consider it is possible to provide them with any assistance from outside Ukraine other than the moral support for their state and the archives at present. The evacuation of large numbers of records across borders in the current context of active war is unthinkable. The Estonian state archivist has been in direct contact with the head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance, who confirmed exactly the same - it is currently not possible to provide any international physical assistance. Nonetheless, the heads of the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian archives have discussed and mapped out the possibilities in the countries closest and friendly to Ukraine, should it be possible and necessary to provide evacuation assistance and find storage facilities for evacuated collections.”
Actions you can take to support Ukraine:
You can endorse and Share:
The appeal made by Head of the State Archival Service of Ukraine Anatoliy Khromov on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/archives.ua.
Request for Russia to have its membership of UNESCO revoked
Request to UNESCO for the 45th Session of the World Heritage Committee to change location from the planned location in Russia
Show your support for Archives and Archivists in Ukraine:
We are in touch with the Association of Ukrainians of Great Britain and have sent a letter of support to the State Archival Service of Ukraine via this email info@arch.gov.ua. Please consider sending a similar letter of support from your own organisation.
Add your signature to the joint letter published on Monday here. Full text can be found on our earlier news item here.
This was posted on JISCMAIL on Tuesday 2nd March: SUCHO, Save Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online is asking for volunteers to help identify and archive sites and content, while they are still online. You do not have to read Ukrainian or Russian to help. https://www.sucho.org
General support for Ukraine
There are many ways you can support Ukraine:
The Guardian has a round up of three different ways to support Ukraine is here
The Embassy of Ukraine in the UK has set up its own support fund here.
Please let us know of other initiatives you would like to publicise.