Teroborona created a civil-military unit to survey cultural monuments in the war zone
[ad_1]
In Ukraine, an experimental unit for the protection of cultural heritage was created, which will consist of military and civilian personnel. This was reported by the press service of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The unit will work in the war zone and in the gray zone to record damage to cultural heritage sites. He will be subordinate to the Command of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The unit’s work will help implement the Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
The essence of the experiment is to involve specialists in the protection, preservation and damage assessment of cultural heritage objects that are in the area of responsibility of the military. After all, museum workers, archaeologists, cultural experts do not have access there at the moment. And those specialists already serving in the Armed Forces do not have such powers.
Specialists from the field of culture have already joined the unit, who are able to effectively assess the damage, implement priority measures necessary to preserve monuments and valuables, and organize evacuation.
One of these specialists is the director of the Maidan Museum, coordinator of the Cultural Heritage Rescue Headquarters Ihor Poshivaylo. UP. Life he commented on the importance of creating this unit.
“One of the functions of this unit is the collection of the evidence base for the International Criminal Court. There should be cooperation between the military and representatives of cultural institutions in matters that are relevant to them,” – says Sewer. According to him, the initiative will open access to the gray zone for civilians who have undergone all the necessary training: training in tactical medicine, fire training.
According to the latest data from the Ministry of Culture, 1,702 objects of cultural heritage have already been damaged by the Russian war. “Often, destroyed museums still contain collections that need to be evacuated”, – says Poshivaylo. So, civilian specialists will now be able to help the military assess such objects and develop ways to save them.
Similar units successfully exist in many European armies of European countries, adds the director of the Maidan Museum: “There are such units in NATO as well. They are called SRR (culture property protection). In France, this unit also functions in peacetime. Together with museum workers, they develop quick response plans in emergency situations. In case of participation in hostilities, they also document the events themselves , and record history. They take all possible measures to preserve it.”
The creation of such an initiative by Teroborona was welcomed by the specialists of the Heritage Monitoring Lab – a group of researchers, architects, historians and art critics who investigate crimes against heritage during the Russian-Ukrainian war. As of October, their representatives were able to inspect 769 objects in 11 regions.
“As documenters of war crimes, we welcome this idea. It is very important not to stop there, but to develop this initiative to the creation of a real separate unit of the SPP. And so that specialists and professionals (architects, historians, archaeologists) who already serve in the Armed Forces. And civilian specialists could immediately mobilize to this unit and perform their work in the ranks of the Armed Forces.” – says UP.Zhyttya in a comment Maria Zadorozhnaleader of the Cultural Forensic Heritage Monitoring Lab.
[ad_2]
Original Source Link
