In Paris, First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska met with UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany. They discussed the further development of the strategic partnership and the expansion of cooperation.
The First Lady thanked Khaled El-Enany for his personal support for Ukraine, UNESCO’s unwavering solidarity with the Ukrainian people, and its assistance in implementing projects of the Olena Zelenska Foundation.
The First Lady particularly noted that the “One Desk. Two Marks” installation was unveiled at UNESCO Headquarters on July 8. It symbolizes the stories of millions of children whose childhood and education have been disrupted by Russian aggression. At the same time, it is a call for the international community to strengthen the protection of the right to education during wars and armed conflicts.
“When we conceived this project, we wanted to show – in place of thousands of words – the consequences of Russia’s war for education and school life. The desk is now being taken to leading international institutions, including PACE in Strasbourg and the UN Palace of Nations in Geneva, to bear witness to the more than 4,000 educational institutions in Ukraine that have been damaged or destroyed by Russia,” the First Lady said.
Olena Zelenska noted that Russia has already damaged or destroyed approximately 2,000 cultural heritage sites and more than 2,500 cultural infrastructure facilities in Ukraine.
“At the same time, our country not only receives support from international partners but also contributes to shaping global policy on protecting education. Ukraine is a member of the SDG 4–Education 2030 High-Level Steering Committee and UNESCO’s expert group on protecting education from attack. As we endure destruction at the hands of the enemy, we want to warn the rest of the world and help protect it from the same fate,” she said.
The First Lady also visited the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, where she viewed the exhibition “Heritage in Resistance: From Timbuktu to Odesa.”
The exhibition explores the destruction of cultural, historical, and architectural landmarks during wartime, as well as resistance and efforts to protect and restore cultural heritage.
The exhibition devotes particular attention to Ukraine. It documents crimes while also showcasing the efforts of Ukrainian and international partners to preserve cultural and natural heritage. Representatives of Ukraine’s museum community, the Embassy of Ukraine in France, and international partners contributed to the exhibition with UNESCO’s support.
The First Lady emphasized that Europe must take an unflinching look at the destruction in Ukraine in order to document the crimes, punish the perpetrators, and restore cultural heritage.
Olena Zelenska thanked the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine and other French institutions already involved in preserving Ukraine’s architectural heritage. One such initiative is an educational and research project by the École de Chaillot that brings together Ukrainian and European experts to study the architectural treasures of the Black Sea coast.