During the session, the Board – currently including Poland – adopted two decisions regarding the situation in Ukraine.

UNESCO decided on the special programme to support Ukraine in its internationally recognized borders. Following Poland’s proposed wording, the document makes it clear that UNESCO’s need to take action results directly from Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

The decision obliges UNESCO’s specialised agencies to continue their support for the institutions of culture and education in Ukraine, and mandates the Organization to take action to improve the protection of journalists and media staff.

The Executive Board also decided to extend UNESCO’s monitoring of situation on the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in the areas of protection of freedom of speech and safety of journalists, equal access to education, respect of women’s rights, protection of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, ban on exporting and trading in museum property, as well as the protection of ethnic or religious minorities, in particular Crimean Tatars.

The adoption of both decisions is a major success of the Friends of Ukraine Group, the EU states, and those who share their views across UNESCO. The Organization’s decisions are token of its solidarity with Ukraine and opposition to Russian aggression, including recent attacks targeting civilian population and buildings of Ukrainian national heritage. Poland made efforts to gather widest possible support for the decisions among the Executive Board’s member states.

 

Łukasz Jasina
MFA Spokesperson