On July 22, 2024, during the first day of work of the 46th Meeting of UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which takes place in New Delhi from July 21 to 31, a statement on support for Ukraine was presented by Italy on behalf of 46 countries.

The statement emphasizes that the Russian Federation constantly ignores UNESCO's repeated calls to stop attacks on cultural heritage sites, which violate the Organization's core values and goals, as well as the 1972 Convention.

The statement also calls on the Russian Federation to immediately stop all illegal hostilities against Ukraine, withdraw all its armed forces and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.

For the first time, Ukraine takes part in the meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee as a member of this working body.

Ukraine is represented at this event by a delegation headed by the Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine Anastasia Bondar.

Anastasia Bondar thanked for the solidarity and support that Ukraine receives from the international community.

She updated the delegates on the extent of damage and destruction of cultural heritage in Ukraine caused by Russian aggression, which currently amounts to 1085 monuments and at least 2013 objects of cultural infrastructure.

The Ukrainian delegation includes representatives of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, and experts.