Sweden and UNESCO allocate nearly US$1.5m to save Ukraine's Khortytsia National Reserve

Sweden's Ministry of Culture and UNESCO have jointly allocated SEK 12 million – approximately US$1.5 million – for conservation works and support of the Khortytsia National Reserve in Zaporizhzhia.

Source: UNESCO website

Details: The initiative covers emergency conservation, documentation of damaged sites, and "professional capacity building" in the field of heritage preservation. The project involves major archaeological rescue works and the creation of a standardised digital register of damaged sites.

According to Ukraine's Permanent Representative to UNESCO Vadym Omelchenko, protecting Khortytsia today determines whether future generations will be able to work with this heritage:

Quote: "Khortytsia, with its historical value, stands as a symbol of resilience and identity of the Ukrainian people. Protecting it today ensures that future generation will continue to learn from and be inspired by its legacy."

More details: Khortytsia is experiencing increasing impact from the war, with the situation compounded by hostilities and the environmental consequences of the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant in 2023. The sharp drop in water levels exposed archaeological layers that had been preserved underwater for decades and intensified bank erosion near the site.

Priority steps include urgent repairs to the Khortytsia Reserve Museum, which has sustained damage from repeated strikes. Plans include stabilising storage conditions across approximately 3,000 square metres to safeguard the collections and gradually restore visitor access. Climate-controlled storage facilities for over 5,000 rescued artefacts will also be expanded, including those found on recently exposed sections of the shoreline.

"Sweden will remain unwavering in our support to Ukraine in its efforts to protect and preserve its cultural heritage and strengthen social cohesion, and its pursuit of a just and lasting peace," stated Ambassador and Sweden's Permanent Representative to UNESCO Helena Sångeland.

Attention will also be paid to training young Ukrainian specialised personnel in archaeology and conservation. The programme will be implemented in partnership with Ukrainian universities and with the involvement of the Swedish Vasa Museum, which will share its expertise in the field of archaeology.

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