Ministry of Culture to appeal to UNESCO for mechanism to preserve Kyiv’s historical center

The MCSC reported this, according to Ukrinform.

“On the first morning of the new 2025 year, the enemy struck the building of the National Writers’ Union of Ukraine (NWU). It is one of the iconic landmarks of the Lypky district and the government quarter. It was constructed at the end of the 19th century, not all at once, but in several stages. Kyiv architect Volodymyr Nikolaev, in addition to the NWU building, was also involved in the construction of St Volodymyr Cathedral, the Opera House, and a total of 27 public buildings in Kyiv,” the statement reads.

One of the owners of the building was the millionaire sugar factory owner Simha Lieberman, who completed the construction of the building, giving it not only its current appearance but also his name — Lieberman’s Mansion.

The first meetings, where the Narodnyi Rukh (People’s Movement) of Ukraine was organized in 1989, were held precisely in this building.

“The activities of the Narodnyi Rukh laid the foundations for Ukrainian independence, with writers becoming the core of the organization. The Movement was led by poet Ivan Drach. The building of the Writers’ Union became the first headquarters of the Narodnyi Rukh, where the most important victory of all was forged — independence,” noted the MCSC.

At the beginning of 2024, a memorial plaque dedicated to this significant episode in Ukraine’s history was installed on the facade of the Writers’ House.

“The enemy is not just killing writers, burning Ukrainian literature, and destroying the Ukrainian word in occupied territories. It is deliberately leaving scars even on the symbols of our identity, such as the Writers’ Union of Ukraine. Russians have made our identity their target, trying in every possible way to destroy it, along with our cultural heritage. However, their efforts are in vain. They can destroy a building, but they cannot kill the Ukrainian word,” emphasized the MCSC.

In the context of the ongoing war, Ukraine’s cultural heritage is suffering daily losses that have devastating consequences for national identity.

The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine intends to appeal to UNESCO to help establish a mechanism for the preservation and protection of the architectural integrity of the streets in the historical center of Kyiv, regardless of the buildings’ status or ownership.

The MCSC emphasized that a systematic approach will help protect cultural heritage as an inseparable part of national identity and, most importantly, create a database for the restoration of historical buildings and structures.

As reported by Ukrinform, early on January 1, the Russian forces attacked Kyiv with strike drones. Drone debris fell in Pecherskyi and Sviatoshynskyi districts. As a result of the attack, two people were killed, and seven injured, including two pregnant women.