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Odesa is a new addition to the UNESCO World Endangered Heritage List because of the threat f being destroyed due to the war in Ukraine. This site is being protected by 194 States Party of Convention that claim that they will not indirectly or directly harm the site- including Russia. It is currently being assisted with reinforced technical and financial international assistance.

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This decision recognizes the outstanding universal value of the site and the duty of all humanity to protect it.

'Reinforced protection'

"Odesa, a free city, a world city, a legendary port that has left its mark on cinema, literature and the arts, is thus placed under the reinforced protection of the international community," said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO.

"While the war continues, this inscription embodies our collective determination to ensure that this city, which has always surmounted global upheavals, is preserved from further destruction."

The decision commits the 194 States Parties of the Convention - which includes Russia - not to undertake any deliberate step that may directly or indirectly damage the World Heritage site and to assist in its protection.

The Historic Centre of Odesa has also been inscribed on the more than 50-strong List of World Heritage in Danger, which gives it access to reinforced technical and financial international assistance.

Ukraine may request this, to ensure the protection of the property and, if necessary, assist in reconstruction, if attacked.

Accelerated procedure

In view of the threats to the city from Russia armed forces and irregulars, the World Heritage Committee used an emergency procedure provided for by the World Heritage Convention.

As early as the summer of 2022, UNESCO linked international experts with Ukrainian experts to prepare the nomination, with the support of Italy and Greece.

Ukraine's President Zelensky made the submission official in October 2022, and the nomination was evaluated over the following weeks.

Emergency measures

In parallel with the inscription process, UNESCO implemented emergency measures on the ground to help protect the site.

Notably, the Organization ensured repairs were carried out following damage inflicted by Russian attacks, on the Odesa Museum of Fine Arts and the Odesa Museum of Modern Art.

So far, the historic western Ukrainian city has not come under the kind of sustained bombardment that laid waste to the once-thriving port city of Mariupol, hundreds of kilometres to the east.

Digital safekeeping

UNESCO also provided equipment for the digitization of nearly 1,000 works of art and of the formal collection of the Odesa State Archives. Equipment was also delivered to protect the buildings as well as open-air works of art on display.

These measures are part of UNESCO's overall action plan for Ukraine, which has already mobilized more than $18 million to preserve education, science, culture and information, as the battle for control of the country rages on.

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Odesa added to UNESCO's World Heritage List amid threats of destruction

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The historic centre of the port city of Odesa, in Ukraine, has been inscribed on the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) World Heritage List, 11 months since the full-scale Russian invasion. |

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Odesa, a port city, is newly considered a World Heritage in Danger Site. Russia poses a serious threat to Odesa- who has bombed Odesa multiple times since 2022. Odesa is a culturally significant site for its influence in cinema, literature, and the arts. Odesa is also known for its trade that has brought in much wealth for the nation.

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PARIS, Jan 25 (Reuters) - The United Nations' cultural agency, UNESCO, said on Wednesday that it had designated the historic centre of Odesa, a strategic port city on Ukraine's Black Sea coast, a World Heritage in Danger site.

Russia, which invaded Ukraine 11 months ago, denounced the designation, saying the only threat to Odesa came from the "nationalist regime in Ukraine".

The status, awarded by a UNESCO panel meeting in Paris, is designed to help protect Odesa's cultural heritage, which has been under threat since Russia's invasion, and enable access to financial and technical international aid.

Odesa has been bombed several times by Russia since its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

In July 2022, part of the large glass roof and windows of Odesa's Museum of Fine Arts, inaugurated in 1899, were destroyed.

In a statement, UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay said that Odesa, "free city, world city, legendary port" had made its mark on cinema, literature and the arts.

"As the war continues, this inscription reflects our collective determination to protect this city from greater destruction," Azoulay said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the decision "will help us protect our Odesa ... Russia is incapable of defending anything other than terror and strikes."

Earlier on Wednesday, UNESCO inscribed the Landmarks of the Ancient Kingdom of Saba, Marib in Yemen and Rachid Karami International Fair-Tripoli in Lebanon to its list of World Heritage in Danger sites.

RUSSIA: UKRAINE THE SOLE THREAT TO ODESA

Russia's Foreign Ministry said it had no quarrel with the decision to celebrate and protect Odesa's legacy.

"But this requires a clarification that the sole threat to the city's rich history stems from Ukraine's nationalist regime which systematically destroys monuments to the founders and defenders of Odesa," it said in a statement.

It cited in particular a monument to Russian Empress Catherine the Great - widely reputed to be the city's founder - that was dismantled by an order of city authorities last year.

The UNESCO debate over Odesa took hours as Russia unsuccessfully tried to have the vote postponed.

Founded in the final years of the 18th century, near the site of a captured Ottoman fortress, Odesa's location on the shores of the Black Sea allowed it to become one of the most important ports in the Russian empire.

Its status as a trading hub brought significant wealth and made it one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Eastern Europe.

The city's most famous historic sites include its Opera House, which became a symbol of resilience when it reopened in June 2022, and the giant stairway to the harbour, immortalised in Sergei Eisenstein's 1925 silent film Battleship Potemkin.

Although the city suffered significant damage in World War Two, its famed central grid square of low-rise 19th century buildings survived mostly intact.

Odesa was a key Ukrainian tourist hub before Russia's invasion. War changed all that, as the Black Sea became a battlezone. Sea mines still wash up near the city's shoreline.

Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Himani Sarkar

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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UNESCO designates Ukraine's Odesa a World Heritage in Danger site

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The United Nations' cultural agency, UNESCO, said on Wednesday that it had designated the historic centre of Odesa, a strategic port city on Ukraine's Black Sea coast, a World Heritage in Danger site.

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Part of Odesa's Museum of Fine Arts was damaged by shelling, facing Russian attacks. "'They are killing our citizens. They're damaging our cultural heritage, sites, homes, and they want to continue to do this'" said Ukraine's Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko." Ukraine hopes that Odesa will be protected with it's new status of UNESCO Heritage in Danger site, but the worry of Russian attack is still significant.

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The UN cultural agency, UNESCO, said on Wednesday that it had designated the historic centre of the Ukrainian city of Odesa, as a World Heritage in Danger site.

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The United Nations cultural agency, UNESCO, said on Wednesday that it had designated the historic centre of the Ukrainian city of Odesa, as a World Heritage in Danger site.

The strategic port city on the Black Sea has been bombed several times by Russia since it invaded Ukraine almost a year ago.

In July last year, part of its historic Museum of Fine Arts, inaugurated in 1899, was damaged by shelling.

The decision by UNESCO recognises the outstanding universal value of the city and the duty of all humanity to protect its cultural heritage.

It's Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, said that while the decision was symbolic, there were also legal consequences.

"There is also a legal issue of protection because there are world heritage conventions. Some 194 states are members of this convention. There is an obligation, for all the states that are members, not to deliberately destroy this heritage", she said.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made the request for Odesa to be listed as a World Heritage Site in October last year.

Kyiv hopes that its new UNESCO status will protect parts of the city from Russian attacks.

"They are killing our citizens. They're damaging our cultural heritage, sites, homes, and they want to continue to do this" said Ukraine's Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko.

"I very much hope that the umbrella of the UNESCO blue shield can protect at least Odesa's skies and Odesa itself."

In recent months, in parallel with the process of inscribing the centre of the city on the World Heritage List, UNESCO has implemented emergency measures on the ground to help protect the site.

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Ukraine's Odesa city put on UNESCO heritage in danger list

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The UN cultural agency, UNESCO, said on Wednesday that it had designated the historic centre of the Ukrainian city of Odesa, as a World Heritage in Danger site.

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Ukraine's city of Odesa was recently added into UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites after threats of destruction from previous Russian attacks. Odesa has faced multiple bombings, but this new addition to the list aims to protect Odesa's cultural heritage. Odesa is now seen not only as a significant in its contributions to the arts, but is also a large trade location that brings in a lot of wealth.

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Odesa has been bombed a number of times since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly a year ago [File: Petros Giannakouris/AP Photo]

The United Nations' cultural agency has decided to add the historic centre of Ukraine's Black Sea port city of Odesa to its list of World Heritage sites to recognise "the outstanding universal value of the site and the duty of all humanity to protect it" as the city faces the threat of destruction.

The 21 member states of UNESCO's world heritage committee approved the decision with six votes in favour, one against and 14 abstentions.

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Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February last year and has bombed Odesa several times, tried to delay the vote repeatedly.

"While the war continues, this inscription embodies our collective determination to ensure that this city, which has always surmounted global upheavals, is preserved from further destruction," UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said after the decision.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who requested the listing in October, welcomed the designation.

The status is aimed at helping protect Odesa's cultural heritage, and enabling access to financial and technical international aid.

"Today Odesa got UNESCO protection," Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter.

"I'm grateful to partners who help protect our pearl from the Russian invaders' attacks."

'Glorious historical past'

Founded in the final years of the 18th century near the site of a captured Ottoman fortress, Odesa's location on the shores of the Black Sea turned it into one of the most important ports in the Russian empire.

Its status as a trading hub brought significant wealth and made it one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Eastern Europe.

The city's most famous historic sites include its Opera House, which became a symbol of resilience when it reopened in June 2022, and the giant stairway to the harbour, immortalised in Sergei Eisenstein's 1925 silent film Battleship Potemkin.

Although Odesa suffered significant damage in World War II, its famed central grid square of low-rise, 19th-century buildings survived mostly intact.

Since the Russian invasion, Ukrainians have rushed to protect the city's monuments and buildings with sandbags and barricades.

In July 2022, parts of the large glass roof and windows of the Museum of Fine Arts, inaugurated in 1899, were destroyed.

UNESCO said that it had already helped with repairs to the building, as well as to the Odesa Museum of Modern Art, which has also been damaged in the conflict.

In Moscow, Russia's foreign ministry accused a group of Western countries of pushing through what it called a "politically motivated" decision in violation of standard procedures.

"It was prepared hastily, without respecting the current high standards of UNESCO," the foreign ministry said, stressing that just six countries voted in favour.

Moscow pointed to "the glorious historical past of Odesa as part of the Russian state" and insisted that "the only threat" Odesa faced was from "the nationalist regime in Ukraine" which had taken down a number of monuments in the city.

Following a poll of residents, city authorities last year removed a monument to the Russian Empress Catherine the Great, seen as the city's founder, as part of ' de-Russification ' efforts.

Ukraine has argued that the city, the third largest in the country, thrived long before Catherine the Great's arrival and that Odesa dated back to the 15th century when it was known as Hadzhybei.

Ukraine is not a member of the UNESCO committee, which is currently chaired by Saudi Arabia.

Under the 1972 UNESCO convention, ratified by both Ukraine and Russia, signatories undertake to "assist in the protection of the listed sites" and are "obliged to refrain from taking any deliberate measures" which might damage World Heritage sites.

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UNESCO designates Odesa as World Heritage site amid war threats

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The decision is designed to protect the 'outstanding universal value' of the historic Black Sea port.

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This photograph displays an aerial view of Odesa. The main building referred to as the The Odesa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre by many. A large amount of the surrounding city gives an idea of what the city is like. The photograph also shows the closeness Odesa is to the water.

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This photographs shows the inside of one of the main buildings of Odesa. The architecture is visibly very well crafted and handled with extreme care. This photograph was taken where there was an absence of damage done.

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This photograph taken in Odesa shows a Ukrainian military officer in front of rubble. This rubble shows an example of the mass destruction that has put Odesa at risk. This explains why Odesa is now considered an in danger heritage site by UNESCO.

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This photograph shows a lit up street in Odesa, with dark clouds swarming. There is visible smoke coming from somewhere in the background. This shows how Odesa is being put at risk of destruction. There are no people in sight likely due to evacuation.

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This picture shows four individuals walking down a street in Odesa. The sky is noticeably grey with smoke looming in the background. The atmosphere appears dark and gloomy, likely due to the war with Russia that Odesa faces.

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Odesa is known as a legendary port, often referred to as the Pearl of the Black Sea and was listed into UNESCO's Heritage in Danger Sites list. This addition is welcomed by Ukraine in hopes that Odesa will receive protection from Russian attacks with the help of foreign aid. Odesa has already suffered multiple bombings that caused great damage to culturally significant sites.

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UNESCO grants Odesa's historic centre World Heritage in Danger status • FRANCE 24 English