Consequences of the war: how much money is needed to restore cultural sites and tourism in Ukraine?

Restoration of cultural heritage and tourism is not only a matter of architectural monuments, but also a key to economic development and strengthening national identity. Find out how much money will be needed for this

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The war that has unfolded on the territory of Ukraine has not only caused human losses and destruction of infrastructure, but also caused enormous damage to the country's cultural and tourist heritage. According to AP, UNESCO estimates that the total direct and indirect losses in these sectors have amounted to more than $19 billion since the start of the full-scale invasion.

How much money will be needed to restore sites and tourism?

Ukraine will need about $9 billion over the next decade to restore and reopen its cultural sites and tourism industry.

The extent of the cultural damage

341 cultural sites have been damaged:

According to UNESCO, this is the number of monuments and cultural institutions across the country that have been affected by the fighting. The total cost of this destruction is estimated at around $3.5 billion.

One of the most striking examples of destruction was the Odesa Cathedral, damaged in July 2023. According to Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi, Head of the UNESCO Office in Ukraine, such sites have a deep spiritual and historical significance not only for local communities but also for the cultural heritage of the entire country.

How does this affect the country's economy?

According to UNESCO, the total losses of the Ukrainian cultural and tourism sectors as a result of the war have already exceeded $19 billion.

Despite the scale of the destruction, experts emphasise that a competent recovery strategy, designed for decades, will not only revive cultural sites but also create a new model of tourism development. This is exactly why the $9 billion needed to restore monuments, reconstruct infrastructure and promote an updated tourism product is so important.

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UNESCO has strengthened its protection

In the context of military threats, UNESCO took additional steps to protect Ukrainian monuments in 2023:

▪️ In September 2023, 20 Ukrainian sites were inscribed on the International List of Cultural Property under Enhanced Protection.

▪️ In December 2023, five more important monuments were added to the list, including historic wooden churches in the Carpathian region, the Odesa Opera and Philharmonic buildings, and the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernihiv.

Some of the sites that are under enhanced protection:

1. St Sophia's Cathedral and the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra

2. Lviv - the ensemble of the historic centre

3. Residence of the Bukovinian and Dalmatian Metropolitans (building of the Chernivtsi University)

4. Struve's geodetic arc (a number of points on the territory of Ukraine)

5. Wooden churches of the Carpathian region (Yasinia, Zhovkva, Matkiv, etc.)

6. The building of the Odesa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre

7. Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernihiv

This status not only emphasises the international significance of these monuments, but also provides additional opportunities for their restoration and preservation, both financial and legal.

We remind you! Half of humanity may be descended from the Yamnaya culture that lived on the territory of Ukraine.

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