In an extraordinary session that took place in Paris, the committee of Heritage approved the inclusion of Odessa city center by 6 votes in favor, one against (Russia) and 14 abstentions; With this vote he was registered in the World Heritage List and in turn registered as endangered heritage.
Odessawhich is considered as the “Pearl of the Black Sea”, is a port city and is famous for the monumental potemkin staircasewhich was portrayed in the film “Potemkin battleship” Directed by Sergei Eisenstein.
In the opinion of Audrey Azoulaydirector general of Unesco “Odessa, a free city, a world city, a legendary port that has left its mark on cinema, literature and the arts, thus comes under the strengthened protection of the international community.”.
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Odessa has been a victim of Russian bombing since the invasion of Ukraine launched by Vladimir Putin in February 2022, however his heritage has so far remained almost intact.
Sandbags block in front of the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater building in preparation for a possible Russian offensive, in Odessa, Ukraine.
For its part, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs applauded the decision of the Unesco and accentuated “the exceptional value of this port city, its architecture and its history for Ukraine and humanity”. “The decision to include Odessa underscores the danger posed to Ukrainian heritage by the Russian war of aggression”, specifies the French ministry in a statement.
“As the war continues, this inscription embodies our collective determination to ensure that this city (…) is preserved from further destruction.Azoulay explained.
With this designation as endangered heritage, “gives you access to strengthened international assistance mechanisms, both technical and financial”, pointed out the Unesco. “They can be requested by Ukraine to ensure the protection of the site and, if necessary, assist in its rehabilitation”, added the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
On the other hand, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Emine Dzheppar, considers that this designation is a “diplomatic victory” for Ukraine.
While, Volodymyr Zelensky Ukrainian president, thanked this appointment as the “protection offered by the world” and asserted that Russia could only bring “terror and bombing”.
In this sense, Zelensky had already requested to register this site as part of the World Heritage in October of last year.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukrainethe Ukrainian authorities have made efforts to protect their monuments with sandbags and barricades.
Unesco used an urgent procedure to inscribe the historic center of this Ukrainian city on the list in response to the “threats weighing on this heritage since the beginning of the war”, he specifies in a statement.
Finally, also entered the list the Rachid Karam International Fairi, designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer in Lebanon, and main monuments of the ancient kingdom of Sheba, in Yemen.
With information from the EFE and AFP Agencies.
