UNESCO and EU Launch €2.2M Initiative to Preserve Jewish Documentary Heritage in Ukraine

This two-year initiative aims to protect cultural and historical records, enhance access to archival materials, and strengthen at least ten memory institutions across the country.

UNESCO, with funding from the European Union, has launched a €2.2 million project to preserve, digitize, and promote the rich documentary heritage of Jewish communities in Ukraine. This two-year initiative aims to protect cultural and historical records, enhance access to archival materials, and strengthen at least ten memory institutions across the country.

UNESCO’s Commitment to Protecting Jewish Heritage Amid War

The project was announced by Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, during her visit to Lviv, Ukraine, following her participation in the 80th-anniversary commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

“Ukraine has a very important Jewish heritage, which is also threatened by the war and must be protected. Thanks to the European Union, UNESCO will contribute to advancing historical research and preserving the archives of Jewish culture in all regions of the country,” Azoulay stated.

With three years of war exacerbating challenges in cultural heritage preservation, archives and memory institutions are at high risk due to a lack of emergency preparedness, underfunding, and a shortage of qualified personnel. This initiative will help strengthen Ukrainian archives, train professionals, and improve access to documentary heritage despite the ongoing conflict.

Project Goals: Digitization, Training, and Cultural Promotion

The UNESCO-EU initiative will focus on:

• Digitizing and safeguarding at-risk Jewish heritage documents from 10 key memory institutions.
• Training over 50 cultural heritage professionals in conservation and risk management techniques.
• Supporting researchers, artists, and journalists to amplify Jewish history and its role in Ukrainian culture.

This project will also fund academic studies, investigative journalism, and artistic interpretations of Jewish cultural heritage, with grants supporting creative works in visual arts, film, literature, and music. These efforts will culminate in public exhibitions, multimedia projects, and educational initiatives, ensuring that Jewish history remains an integral part of Ukraine’s national narrative.

Strengthening Holocaust Remembrance and Jewish Cultural Sites

This initiative follows UNESCO’s December 2024 decision to grant Babyn Yar temporary enhanced protection under the 1954 Hague Convention, further reinforcing efforts to safeguard Holocaust memorial sites. Babyn Yar, the site of one of the largest massacres during the 'Holocaust by bullets', was also added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in 2023.

By preserving Jewish documentary heritage, UNESCO and the EU are taking a vital step in upholding historical memory, promoting cultural diversity, and protecting human rights in Ukraine, even amid the challenges of war.