The city of Odessa, located along the southern coast of Ukraine, has been added by UNESCO to the list of “World Heritage in Danger”.
According to UNESCO, the city of Odessa will now receive international financial and technical support after being identified as in danger.
City of Odessa, Ukraine. (Photo: Larousse).
Ukraine may request assistance to help protect its heritage and even aid in the restoration of assets. Odessa, along with several other sites and cities in Ukraine, has been recognized as a World Heritage site.
“Odessa, a free city and a legendary seaport that has made its mark in cinema, literature, and the arts, therefore needs to be placed under the strict protection of the international community,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay in a statement.
“This announcement reflects our collective determination to ensure that the city survives global upheavals and is preserved from devastation,” he added.
The inclusion of Odessa on the list was expedited due to the conflict that erupted in February 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky formally submitted the city for consideration in October 2022.
In addition to Odessa, UNESCO has also added landmarks in Yemen and Lebanon to the list of World Heritage in Danger.
Ancient Kingdom of Saba. (Photo: The New York Times).
In Yemen, sites from the Ancient Kingdom of Saba, Marib, have been added to this list. This area contains seven archaeological sites “testifying to the wealth of the Kingdom of Saba and its architectural, aesthetic, and technological achievements from the first millennium BC until the advent of Islam around 630 AD.”
In Lebanon, the Rachid Karameh International Fair in Tripoli is now on UNESCO’s list. The building, designed by a Brazilian architect in 1962, has been noted for its alarming state of preservation, lack of financial resources for maintenance, and the potential risks from development proposals that could impact the integrity of the complex.
