Protection of cultural heritage: modern realities and experience of international cooperation

Культурна спадщина є ґрунтовним чинником набуття і підтримування відчуття ідентичності. За руйнуванням матеріальних об'єктів культурної спадщини стоїть неприхована агресія стосовно того, що становить самобутність духовного світу носіїв культури. Руйнація значущих для спільноти об'єктів культурної спадщини спрямована на знищення почуття ідентичності, права на самовираження, знецінення успадкованих знань, традицій, практичних навичок, умінь, звичаїв, шляхів передання духовних знань, характерних для певної спільноти.

На тлі сучасних подій в Україні відбувається глобальний тектонічний зсув у системі політико-економічної і соціокультурної взаємодії Утворюються нові координати співробітництва, взаємодопомоги і взаємопідтримки в міжнародному культурному просторі. Війна Росії проти України, масштаби її агресивності вплинули на усвідомлення світовою спільнотою глобальності, спільної залежності та відповідальності за благополуччя людства загалом. Відповідно змінилося бачення співробітництва і солідарності, їхнього значення і форм реалізації у розв'язанні соціально-культурних і суспільно-політичних проблем, взаємозалежності останніх із розмаїттям культурного самовираження. Створення стратегічних альянсів із захисту культурної спадщини забезпечує стабільність спільного шляху унікальних народів, націй, держав до успішного майбутнього. Міжнародні організації спрямували свій інституціональний досвід, інтелектуальні та фінансово-матеріальні ресурси на підтримку культури незалежної України, збереження самобутнього українського культурного простору. Діяльність таких організацій є прикладом реальної системної співпраці зі включення захисту культури в гуманітарну діяльність, стратегії безпеки та процеси розбудови миру. Мета статті - аналіз сучасних реалій захисту культурної спадщини України в умовах війни і досвіду діяльності міжнародних організацій, їхньої співпраці у сприянні унікальності української культури, діяльності ЮНЕСКО та ALIPH як невід'ємної частини більш широкої системи менеджменту міжнародної співпраці у сфері підтримування унікальних ресурсів культур, їхньої "єдності в різноманітті". Досвід партнерства міжнародних акторів надзвичайно важливий з погляду організації системи стійких практик із координації спільних дій - ефективних відповідей на майбутні кризи.

Ключові слова: культура України, міжнародне співробітництво, захист культурної спадщини, ЮНЕСКО, ALIPH, війна Росії проти України.

Formulation of the problem

Cultural heritage is a fundamental factor in acquiring and maintaining a sense of identity. The destruction of material objects of cultural heritage is based on the aggression against the identity of the spiritual world of the carriers of culture. The crimes against the cultural heritage are aimed at destroying the right to self-expression, traditions, practical skills, customs. By this, the aggressor tries to limit or completely destroy the space of transferring the inherited unique knowledge to current and future generations.

The Russian war against Ukraine, the scale of its cruelty, influenced the world community's awareness of globality, mutual dependence and responsibility for the well-being of humanity as a whole. Accordingly, the vision of cooperation and solidarity, the necessary effective models of solving socio-cultural and socio-political problems, as well as its interdependence with the diversity of cultural selfexpression has significantly changed. The creation of strategic alliances for the protection of cultural heritage ensures the stability of the joint path of unique communities, nations and states to a successful future. Cultural policies as a result of the practical activities of cultural institutions in the field of cultural heritage protection acquire new meanings, new instruments of defining the problems and find solutions [Kuhn 1970]. Modern realities, more than ever, actualized the synchronization and cooperation of actions of various cultural communities and international organizations.

Analysis of research and publications

In recent years, the Ukrainian cultural research discourse has expanded because of the scientific research of the problems of cultural identity, cultural heritage, done by the V. Badyak, Ya. Hrytsak, N. Kryvda, V. Panchenko, V. Lychkovakha, V. Napadista, O. Shynkarenko. International practices of cooperation in the field of culture, their value orientations and the specificity of tools are studied by T. Bevz, A. Beldiy, O. Valevskyi, I. Maslikova, O Pavlova and others. The current realities of the activities of the international community to protect the independence of Ukraine, its unique culture in the conditions of Russian fullscale aggression, require an analysis of the experience of solidarity actions on-the-ground.

Purpose of the article is to analyse the modern realities of the protection of the cultural heritage of Ukraine in the conditions of war, the experience of the activities provided by international organizations as well as their cooperation in supporting the uniqueness of Ukrainian culture.

Exposition of the main material of the study

The cultural heritage of Ukraine became the target of Russian aggression, especially after the full-scale invasion in February, 2022. The consequences of the war are the destruction of the established system of creation and consumption of cultural content. The civilized democratic world has united around the preservation of Ukrainian independence, which means - around preservation the unique practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills - as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith - that communities, groups recognize as part of their cultural heritage [UNESCO 2003]. International community, as a response to the Russian war against Ukraine, mobilized efforts to organize and coordinate their emergency action plans towards rescuing cultural heritage in Ukraine [UNESCO. Heritage]. UNESCO, International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas ALIPH, PEN America (America's Artists at Risk Connection), International Council of Museums (ICOM), International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), International Center for the Study of the Pressrvation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Prince Claus Fund, World Monuments Fund etc. directed their institutional experience, intellectual and financial resources to support the preservation of the Ukrainian cultural space.The activities of such organizations are an example of real systemic cooperation by "advocating for the incorporation of the protection of culture into humanitarian action, security strategies and peace-building processes" [UNESCO. Heritage].

The international community is implementing various measures - from making the needs assessment (mapping provided by Cultural Relations Platform) and direct financial support of individual artists, organizations, institutions to the creation of online platforms for collecting the useful resources for Ukrainian cultural actors (Culture Action Europe, ENCATC, European Cultural Foundation), the promotion of national cultural content. Mobility and cultural exchange projects, shortand long-term schemes of support are being established. To guarantee the implementation of cultural rights during the war, anti-crisis measures are being taken to support the employment in the cultural and creative sectors of Ukraine. What is also important, that initiatives are being implemented for individual artists, cultural workers, including temporarily displaced persons, facilitating their mobility, ensuring their right to work, opportunities for creative self-realization. Another crucial measure taking place is creating the conditions to facilitate access to the audience - both familiar and new, as well as to the cultural market.

Sustainable, inclusive development more than ever requires the creation of a unique ecosystem of cooperation for the support and protection of cultural heritage, which is based on "peer-to-peer learning" [UNESCO 2022]. The use of elements of a participatory approach, involvement in decision-making, contributes to the integration of both goals and actions of all stakeholders - from donors to direct recipients of the aid. "To strengthen the international cooperation and solidarity in a spirit of partnership is necessarily imply to reaffirm the sovereign rights of States to maintain, adopt and implement policies and measures that they deem appropriate for the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions on their territory" [UNESCO 2005: 7]. Thanks to the participatory approach, the interests of beneficiaries - from individuals, organizations to states and nations - are incorporated into the decision-making system itself regarding the size and directions of aid. In addition, as a result, this approach makes it possible to set strategies for the development of the culture of a certain community, its identity and heritage, more realistic, effective in responding to modern and future global and local challenges. The primary right to determine directions, objects and necessary measures of protection and assistance in the preservation of cultural values is given to communities suffering from military aggression [UNESCO 2003]. In this direction, UNESCO cooperates with Ukrainian NGO's. As an example, decisions regarding the art projects to receive the support are made on the basis of the open-call carried out by the Ukrainian NGO "Museum of Contemporary Art" (MOCA).

Areas of emergency measures implemented by UNESCO: logistical and financial support for the creation or equipping the storage; consultations on providing the necessary measures for the preserving the movable cultural heritage as well as protection of immovable cultural heritage, in particular - historical monuments. Marking a number of Ukrainian cultural monuments with the Blue Shield emblem has strengthened their international legal protection (in accordance with the Hague Convention of 1954). Digitization of cultural monuments, creating digital passports of cultural monuments, placing the cultural content on digital platforms is one of the effective ways of supporting and preserving cultural heritage, preventing its destruction in war conditions. In this direction, UNESCO cooperates fruitfully with the organization Blue Shield Denmark (BackUp Ukraine project). Intitiated by UNESCO, a global network of facilitators and experts in the field of protection of intangible cultural heritage [UNESCO. Global] was created, which provides educational services, and technical assistance.

As of 12 December 2022, UNESCO has verified damage to 227 sites since 24 February - 101 religious sites, 17 museums, 79 buildings of historical and/or artistic interest, 19 monuments, 11 libraries. To assess the damage, UNESCO, in cooperation with other partner organizations, implements evaluation mechanisms that allow to obtain objective information. It is based on getting the verified data from different, independent of each other, sources (in particular, satellite monitoring) and thus provide a reliable coordinated assessment [UNESCO. War]. The coordination of collecting reliable information regarding the provision and implementation of planned investments helps to establish the strategic and operational goals, and to be fast, effective and flexible.

2017 was a significant year for international community to emphasize the importance of preserving and protecting cultural heritage for peace and security in a world of diverse identities. Indeed, The UN Security Council adopted the Resolution 2341 on protection the critical infrastructure against terrorist acts [United Nations Security Council 2018]. Also, ALIPH Foundation, International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas, has become the central actor in the cultural field, with a unique variety of activities. The creation of ALIPH - a public-private partnership assembling several countries and private donors, with immunities of an international organization, - is one of the most successful, in terms of efficiency and content of international cooperation, initiatives aimed at solving the problem of preserving cultural heritage in conflict and post-conflict zones. The activities of the Foundation are aimed at emergency operational assistance, which is part of the international system of large-scale protection and restoration of unique cultural communities in the post-conflict times [ALIPH 2022].

ALIPH has experience of fruitful cooperation in the field of the cultural heritage, development and support of intercultural dialogue with UNESCO, European Commission, UNDP, ICCROM, ICOM, ICOMOS, Europa Nostra, Global Heritage Fund, Blue Shield International, French National Institute of Cultural Heritage, etc. ALIPH's activities are an example of effective, systematic cooperation of EU member states, Gulf countries, private donors, philanthropists, foundations from the USA, Switzerland, France and other countries of the world. The experience accumulated since 2017 (more than 160 projects in 30 countries of the world on 4 continents - Iraq, Afghanistan, Mali, Libya, Lebanon, Yemen, North-East Syria, etc.) has formed a unique knowledge capital, effective in its speed, timeliness and relevance, in the harsh conditions of Russian war against Ukraine.

Working in accordance with the basic principles approved in the international conventions related to the protection of cultural values during armed conflicts (1954, 1970, 1995, 1999), protection of underwater, tangible and intangible cultural heritage (1972, 2001, 2003), the Foundation already adopted the Action Plan for the Protection of Heritage in Ukraine on March 7, 2022. ALIPH also facilitated the cooperation between other international, EU, state and non-state organisations. To date, more than 150 projects were supported. It includes protective measures for the cultural institutions (museums, archives, libraries, conservators, archaeological sites etc), equipping and securing of storage spaces for collections, assistance with the transportation of materials and equipment from European countries, protection measures for damaged buildings, assistance with the evacuation of collections, 3D documentation, digitization and inventory of museum and archive collections, support to heritage professionals etc. The collections currently preserved with the help of Foundation include archaeological artifacts, historical documents, works of folk and professional art, religious art, sculptures, manuscrits etc.

While coordinating institutional, technical and scientific partnership, directing the solidarity actions of global actors in support of Ukraine, ALIPH demonstrates an understanding of the need to protect the carriers of culture and a system of values, significant for Ukrainians and the world community. It involves the search for new organizational flexible solutions, associated with methods of protection and support that would take into account the local socio-cultural context, in particular - traditions, symbolic specificity of the local communication sphere, mental stereotypes along with the system of state administration and current legislation.

Focusing on the local relevance and immediate response, Foundation gives priority to project initiatives that directly affect the state of relevant cultural practices with a specific geography and target audience, that help stabilize and, in the future, fairly reconstruct the national cultural space. ALIPH supports the budgetary realism of the proposed projects, the feasibility of the tasks and the sustainability of the results in the long term perspective.

One of the most effective elements of managing risks in the field of protection of cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, in emergency situations of the armed conflict, is the flexible use of a participatory approach. Conclusions, decisions, and actions are made taking into account the existing aspirations and value priorities of the assistance in a country where ALIPH provides its support. Close cooperation with local authorities, non-governmental organizations, communities, constant consultations with experts, specialists in the protection of cultural heritage, the facilitation of knowledge exchange (in particular between Ukrainian and Polish professionals) contributes to the objectivity of assessing the amount of aid, the ability of recipients to effectively use it, taking into account possible threats in the foreseeable horizon of events. Both parties (the Foundation and its grantees) are involved in the rapid development and coordination of alternative solutions to problems in constantly changing situations. The parties consult on available resources to ensure a balance between specific needs and strategic objectives.

It is important to note, that in the absence of such (participatory) management and non-targeted use of the provided resources, the support can become counterproductive and the effectiveness of cooperation as a tool of "soft power" in cultural policy can be questioned. At the same time, "soft power" can be undermined in cases where aid programs are openly manipulative [Nye 2011] in its nature. Therefore, ALIPH's accumulated knowledge is important not only in terms of financial assistance to Ukraine. In an emergency times of war, managers and cultural proffesionals need to promptly receive the necessary information, technical and legal support for their specific actions. They have the opportunity to participate in webinars, consultations to gain the necessary experience, the ability to act immediately, quickly, effectively, in cooperation and with responsibility for the safety of the implementation. Such experience of ALIPH is extremely important in shaping a system of sustainable practices for the coordination of joint actions - effective responses to future crises.

The Foundation's activities have become an integral part of a wider management system of international cooperation, supporting the potential of unique cultural resources, "unity in diversity".

Conclusion

As a part of spiritual and material culture, cultural heritage has always been and will always be a powerful factor of promoting the cultural diversity, sustainable development of unique communities, a source of the dialogue, understanding and "unity in diversity" [European Union 2022]. In the context of the Russian war against Ukraine, a global tectonic shift is taking place in the system of political, economic and socio-cultural interaction. New coordinates of cooperation, mutual assistance and support in the international cultural space are being formed.

It is the practical activity of international cultural institutions, which are the drivers of innovations, new thinking in the field of culture, and the system of cultural practices of international cooperation, which became the basis of paradigmatic shifts in the entire system of views on culture, cultural heritage, and project management. Support of the unique ways of the expression of the generations and ensuring their viability, has become the goal of the entire civilized world [UNESCO 2003].

Providing the aid is, in particular, the support of the values through the preservation and restoration of cultural objects, their cultivation as an important component of modern cultural practices. It shapes cultural heritage into a powerful cultural capital for the development of nations, communities and society. Solidarity actions give birth to new sources of a sense of dignity among communities, nations that are fighting for their independence. Demonstrating in this way the recognition of the importance, uniqueness and value of the cultural heritage, the world community strengthens their personal sense of identity and, at the same time, a sense of belonging to a certain unity of individuals, who share fundamental values.

Список використаних джерел

1. ALIPH. International alliance for the protection of heritage in conflict areas (2022). Official website. Accessed December 12, 2022. URL: https://www.aliph-foundation.org/en/our-ambition

2. European Union (2022). EU motto: Official website. Accessed December 10, 2022. URL: https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/ symbols/eu-motto_en

3. Kuhn, T. S. (1970). Postscript-1969. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 174 - 210. URL: https:// www.lri.fr/~mbl/Stanford/CS477/papers/Kuhn-SSR-2ndEd.pdf

4. Nye, Joseph S., Jr. (2011). The future of power. New York: Public Affairs. URL: https:/ /www. academia. edu/ 23946693/THE_FUTURE_OF_ POWER

5. UNESCO. Global network of facilitators. (2022). Official website. Accessed December 4, 2022. URL: https://ich.unesco.org/en/facilitator

6. UNESCO. Heritage Emergency Fund. (2022). Official website. Accessed December 10, 2022. URL: https://en.unesco.org/themes/ protecting-our-heritage-and-fostering-creativity/emergencyfund2#:~:text= The%20Heritage%20Emergency%20Fund%2C%20a,hazards%20all%20 over%20the%20word

7. UNESCO. War in Ukraine. Damaged cultural sites in Ukraine verified by UNESCO: Official website. Accessed December 12, 2022. URL: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/damaged-cultural-sites-ukraine-verifiedunesco

8. UNESCO (2003). Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. URL: https://ich.unesco.org/en/convention

9. UNESCO (2005). Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. URL: https://en.unesco.org/creativity/ sites/creativity/ files/passeport-convention2005-web2.pdf

10. UNESCO (2022). Promoting policy and cooperation to support creativity: peer-to-peer learning toolkit. URL: https://en.unesco.org/creativity/ sites/ creativity/ files/brochure-peer-to-peer-toolkit-en-web.pdf

11. United Nations Security Council (2018). Resolution 2341 (2017) [on protection of critical infrastructure against terrorist acts]. The protection of critical infrastructures against terrorist attacks: Compendium of good practices, 157-163. URL: https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/sites/ www. un. org. Security council.ctc/files/files/documents/ 2021/ Jan/ compendium _ of_good_practices_eng.pdf

References

1. ALIPH. International alliance for the protection of heritage in conflict areas (2022). Official website. Accessed December 12, 2022. URL: https://www.aliph-foundation.org/en/our-ambition

2. European Union (2022). EU motto: Official website. Accessed December 10, 2022. URL: https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countrieshistory/symbols/eu-motto_en

3. Kuhn, T. S. (1970). Postscript-1969. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 174 - 210. URL: https://www.lri.fr/~mbl/Stanford/CS477/papers/Kuhn-SSR-2ndEd.pdf

4. Nye, Joseph S., Jr. (2011). The future of power. New York: Public Affairs. URL: https:/ /www. academia. edu/ 23946693/THE_FUTURE_OF_ POWER

5. UNESCO. Global network of facilitators. (2022). Official website. Accessed December 4, 2022. URL: https://ich.unesco.org/en/facilitator

6. UNESCO. Heritage Emergency Fund. (2022). Official website. Accessed December 10, 2022. URL: https://en.unesco.org/themes/ protecting-our-heritage-and-fostering-creativity/emergencyfund2#:~:text= The%20Heritage%20Emergency%20Fund%2C%20a,hazards%20all%20 over%20the%20word

7. UNESCO. War in Ukraine. Damaged cultural sites in Ukraine verified by UNESCO: Official website. Accessed December 12, 2022. URL: https:// www.unesco.org/en/articles/damaged-cultural-sites-ukraine-verified-unesco

8. UNESCO (2003). Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. URL: https://ich.unesco.org/en/convention

9. UNESCO (2005). Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. URL: https://en.unesco.org/creativity/sites/ creativity/ files/passeport-convention2005-web2.pdf

10. UNESCO (2022). Promoting policy and cooperation to support creativity: peer-to-peer learning toolkit. URL: https://en.unesco.org/creativity/ sites/ creativity/ files/brochure-peer-to-peer-toolkit-en-web.pdf

11. United Nations Security Council (2018). Resolution 2341 (2017) [on protection of critical infrastructure against terrorist acts]. The protection of critical infrastructures against terrorist attacks: Compendium of good practices, 157-163. URL: https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/sites/ www. un. org. Security council.ctc/files/files/documents/ 2021/ Jan/ compendium _ of_good_practices_eng.pdf

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