Statement by the Nordic Council of Ministers for Culture (MR-K) on protection of cultural heritage in Ukraine

21.06.22 | Declaration
The Nordic Ministers for Culture, who gathered at a meeting in Oslo on 4 May 2022, express great concern about the consequences of the war in Ukraine.

Information

Adopted
04.05.2022

The Nordic Ministers for Culture denounce the ongoing war and Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty.

 

The Nordic Ministers for Culture call for the protection of cultural heritage in accordance with the UNESCO convention from 1954, the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (the Hague Convention) and the two associated protocols, and support UNESCO’s declaration on the protection of cultural heritage.

 

The Nordic Ministers for Culture emphasise the importance of respecting the commitments in the UNESCO Convention from 1970 on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.

 

The Nordic Ministers for Culture call for museums in the Nordic region to support the ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums regarding the prevention of illicit trade in cultural property.

 

The Nordic Ministers for Culture acknowledge the engagement shown by Nordic cultural actors and institutions in promoting the need for emergency support for protection and preservation, and the Nordic Museum Associations’ joint call to respect the cultural heritage.

 

The Nordic Ministers for Culture emphasise that freedom of expression, artistic freedom, press freedom, and freedom of information are fundamental principles for a functioning democracy.

 

The Nordic Ministers for Culture emphasise the need to protect journalists in the area, so that they can promote free and impartial media coverage during the ongoing war, in accordance with the UN Resolution 2222 (2015).