Russia no longer chairs UNESCO World Heritage Committee

The Russian Federation will no longer chair the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee, though it will maintain its membership.

Source: Emine Dzhaparova, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, on Facebook

Quote: "We are continuing to liberate UNESCO from Russia’s occupation. We have received wonderful news from Paris: Russia will no longer chair the organisation’s World Heritage Committee. And though the terrorist state retains its membership in the committee, its role has been dramatically reduced."

Details: Dzhaparova said that stripping Russia of its leadership position was a lengthy process, which required careful work of Ukrainian diplomats, the Ministry of Culture and Informational Politics of Ukraine, and its head, Minister Oleksandr Tkhachenko.

The 45th session of the World Heritage Committee was set to take place in the summer 2022 in Kazan, Russia. However, Ukraine and its numerous allies from among the UNESCO member states argued that the session ought not to take place on the territory of the aggressor state. 

Ukraine has also actively insisted on stripping committee chairmanship from Russia.

Dzhaparova said that during the first ever speech of the President of Ukraine before the members of the UNESCO Executive Board, Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed a clear position: terrorists have no place in the World Heritage Committee.

Quote: "Together we have won another diplomatic battle. We won this one, we will win others. We are grateful to all our partners for solidarity with Ukraine to #StopRussianAggression."

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