European Parliament calls for reinforced support for Ukrainian culture

This is stated in the resolution adopted by the European Parliament on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

In particular, the European Parliament calls on the European Commission and the Member States to include the emergency needs of the culture and cultural heritage sectors within the EU’s humanitarian support to Ukraine.

The EP also believes that, in line with the historic decision of the European Council of 23 June 2022 to grant EU candidate status to Ukraine, dedicated support must also be allocated within the future Ukraine Trust Fund, endorsed by the Heads of State and Government in the European Council Conclusions of 24-25 March 2022.

The European Parliament urges the EU to offer targeted support to Ukrainian cultural actors, small and medium-sized enterprises, NGOs, local cultural activities, universities and civil society in designing and developing the country’s roadmap to reconstruction and recovery.

The European Parliament believes that the EU should offer its support to the Ukrainian authorities, in particular at the local and regional levels, together with civil society as a constructive partner in the reconstruction of the country and, in particular, in the restoration of cultural sites. In this regard, the EP notes that the EU should encourage those involved in the reconstruction to consider applying the highest quality standards and acknowledges that the New European Bauhaus has the potential to contribute to the post-war restoration with the involvement of the Ukrainian cultural and creative sectors and industries.

As noted, special attention must be paid to the cultural and historical works present in Ukraine and the protection of the country’s cultural heritage. The EP affirms the willingness of the European Union to participate in the preservation of works of art and cultural heritage through the application of all legal tools for the protection and the prevention of trafficking in or the illegal export of cultural heritage in times of war.

Moreover, the MEPs stress the urgency of supporting Ukraine in documenting thoroughly all attacks on cultural heritage, especially those that constitute potential war crimes and are committed against cultural heritage protected by international conventions; recalls that in addition to the physical protection of monuments and artefacts, the EU should further strengthen support for the digitisation and digital documentation of cultural heritage.

Among other things, the European Parliament expresses its sincere solidarity with performers, artists, creators, authors, publishers, their companies and all other cultural creators and workers, including amateur creators, as art and culture will have a fundamental role to play in the healing and rebuilding of Ukraine.

The MEPs salute in particular the action of the Ukrainian artists and creators who have acted in resistance to the Russian invasion by practising their art.

It is underscored that Russia’s war against Ukraine is an attempt to eradicate the identity and culture of a sovereign nation, also through strategic and targeted acts of destruction on cultural heritage sites, constituting a war crime under the 1954 Hague Convention.

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