The Head of the UNESCO Office in Ukraine Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi and the UNESCO Project Manager for the Safety of Journalists and Freedom of Expression in Ukraine Teresa Chorbacher paid a working visit to the Mission.

The Permanent Representative Tamila Tasheva thanked for the visit and spoke about the activities of the Mission, in particular about monitoring the situation in Crimea in the areas of UNESCO’s mandate: culture, education, science, freedom of expression and safety of journalists.

Ms. Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi elaborated on the areas of work of the UNESCO Office in Ukraine, current projects and plans for the future. The Office in Ukraine was opened only in October last year, and its team is currently being finalized.

The Permanent Representative also emphasized the violations of the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied Crimea, primarily the destruction of identity through the destruction and distortion of cultural monuments, in particular, the Khan’s Palace in Bakhchisarai and Chersonese.

The participants of the meeting paid special attention to the violation of freedom of speech, journalists’ safety and freedom of assembly on the occupied peninsula.

“Today, 16 journalists are serving their sentences in occupation prisons. They are not provided with proper medical care. For example, civilian journalist Iryna Danylovych has been suffering from significant health problems for 6 months: she is suspected of having a microstroke and may lose her hearing,” the Permanent Representative noted.

Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi and Tamila Tasheva agreed on further cooperation between the institutions and reiterated the importance of monitoring and highlighting the destruction of Ukraine’s cultural heritage during the Russian aggression.