The war in Ukraine has caused 2.4 billion euros in damage to the heritage and cultural sector, as well as 13.9 billion euros in lost revenue from entertainment, arts and tourism, UNESCO said on Monday.

The theater in Mariupol, where hundreds of civilians were hiding, was bombed by the Russians on March 16, 2022Photo: Oleksiy Kudenko / Sputnik / Profimedia

About 248 monuments were damaged, including completely destroyed, especially in the east of the country, representatives of this UN organization based in Paris and whose director general, Audrey Azoulet, is visiting Ukraine, reported Agerpres.

The Russian invasion also caused the collapse of culture-related sectors of the Ukrainian economy, especially “tourism, arts, sports, entertainment, cultural industry, cultural education,” with losses estimated at $15.1 billion (€13.9 billion), according to with data. UNESCO official.

“We will support the Ukrainian authorities in the development of a national plan for the reconstruction of the cultural sector,” announced Audrey Azoulet, who estimated that the total need for financing for the reconstruction and restart of this industry is about 6.4 billion euros.

Seven cultural monuments and one Ukrainian natural monument are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, including the historic center of the city of Odesa, relatively spared after a year of war, which joined the list of these protected objects in 2023.

Another 16 objects, including the center of Chernihiv, affected in the first months of the war, are included in the “indicative” list of UNESCO. In the near future, the Kyiv authorities should submit candidacies of these objects for their inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage.

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