During the 18th extraordinary session of UNESCO in Paris, the historic center of Odessa was accelerated to the world heritage list. On January 25, six countries supported the decision, 14 abstained and Russia voted against it. “This recognizes the outstanding universal value of the site and the responsibility of all humanity to protect it,” the committee said in a statement.
The object “The historic center of Odessa,” in particular, includes the National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet, a passage on Deribasovskaya, the colonnade of the Vorontsov Palace, the archaeological museum, the Bristol Hotel and the city garden.
According to the UNESCO website, the historic center of Odessa is also on the List of World Heritage in Danger, which allows Ukraine to access the technical and financial international assistance that can be requested to ensure the protection of the site and, if necessary, assistance in its restoration. UNESCO specifies that in accordance with the provisions of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage its 194 member states are obliged to protect the World Heritage sites and not to undertake any intentional actions that may directly or indirectly damage them.
In addition to the historic center of Odessa was included in the list of world heritage two more nominations – the Rachid Karami International Exhibition Center in Lebanon, designed in 1962 by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, and sites of the ancient Sabaean Kingdom in Mariba, Yemen. These two sites are also on the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger.
