UNESCO has decided to leave St. Sophia Cathedral and the Kyiv Cave Monastery on the World Heritage List, Minister of Culture of Ukraine Leonid Novohatko said today at a press conference, a UNIAN correspondent reports.
“The question of the possibility of transferring the Ukrainian objects of the Monastery and St. Sophia from the main list to the in danger list was raised,” said Novohatko.
He said that during the 37th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO, which is now held in Cambodia, the possibility of removing Ukrainian objects from the World Heritage List was discussed a few hours ago. “Two hours ago the vote was held. Against or criticizing the Ukrainian side was Germany, and this position was supported by Switzerland, though not as strongly,” said Novohatko.
The minister said that the Ukrainian side was supported by representatives of Japan, Russia, India, Algeria and several other countries.
On July 6, 2012, at the 36th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO, held in St. Petersburg, Russia, the committee requested that Ukraine impose a moratorium on construction in the buffer zones of the Kyiv Cave Monastery and St. Sophia Cathedral and obliged Ukraine by February 2013 to provide a list of buildings near these reserves, since otherwise they may be inscribed on the List of the World Heritage in Danger.
Ukraine was also obliged to provide UNESCO with detailed plans of the buffer zones including technical specifications and a list of existing buildings. Moreover, Ukraine was advised to create a collegiate body that would control the Monastery and St. Sophia, which would unite the authorities, religious bodies and civil society activists.