26 MAY 2022 /

CULTURAL DESTRUCTION IN UKRAINE : UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT

“The attempted destruction of Ukraine’s historic culture by invading Russian forces will have a devastating impact on the pace of recovery in the post-war era, an independent UN human rights Expert warned on Wednesday,” reports UN News.  

“As in other conflicts, we currently witness the unfolding of suffering in Ukraine that does not seem to end and we cannot stop,” said Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur, UN Cultural Rights.

The UN Special Rapporteur expressed her concern at the damage inflicted on City centres, Cultural sites, Monuments and Museums in Ukraine.

“These are all part of the identity of people in Ukraine; their loss will have a lasting effect.  Attempts against academic and artistic freedoms, linguistic rights, falsification and distortion of historical facts, denigration of identities and denial of the right to self-determination result in further degeneration and fueling of open conflict,” said Alexandra Xanthaki.

The expert paid tribute to many cultural professionals in Ukraine devoted to protecting the country’s heritage, who are using powerful artistic expression, against the war and in favour of peace, says UN News on 25 May 2022.

The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the world for addressing human rights violations and making recommendations on them. 

At the beginning of the crisis, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)  had called for respecting the 1954 Hague Convention to ensure the prevention of damage to cultural heritage in all forms.