International partnership for the preservation of Ukrainian culture: Ukraine and Cyprus strengthen cooperation

Ukraine and the Republic of Cyprus are stepping up international cooperation to preserve Ukrainian culture and protect cultural heritage in the context of a full-scale war. This was reported by the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine following an online meeting between Tetiana Berezhna, Vice Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture of Ukraine, and Vasiliki Kassianidou, Minister of Culture of Cyprus, which was also attended by Yiorgos Papaiorgou, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture of Cyprus.

During the talks, the parties focused on the preservation and restoration of Ukraine's cultural heritage damaged by Russian aggression, as well as the development of bilateral cultural cooperation. Tetyana Berezhna thanked Cyprus for its consistent support of Ukraine and emphasised the particular importance of the cultural dimension of cooperation during the Cypriot presidency of the Council of the European Union, which will last until June 2026.

Special attention was paid to the preparation of an informal meeting of EU ministers of culture scheduled for March in Cyprus. According to Vasiliki Kassianidou, the key topics of the event will be cultural rights and combating illicit trafficking in cultural property. The Ukrainian side was invited to join the discussion and present its own experience in the field of cultural protection during the war.

Tetyana Berezhna informed about the creation of the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Foundation, an international multi-donor platform designed to mobilise national and international resources for the protection, restoration and development of Ukrainian cultural heritage. The Foundation is registered in Belgium as a legal entity, its governing bodies are currently being formed, and a number of European countries have already expressed their readiness to join its support.

The Ukrainian side also invited Cypriot partners to take part in the second international conference «Cooperation for Resilience», where it is planned to discuss the further development of the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Foundation and the initiatives of the Alliance for Cultural Resilience.

In the framework of practical cooperation, Cyprus expressed interest in involving Ukrainian artists and filmmakers in leading cultural events, including international film and dance festivals held in spring. The parties agreed to establish direct contacts between the organisers of these events and the relevant Ukrainian institutions.

In addition, Tetiana Berezhna spoke about the preparation of a large-scale National Programme for the financing of Ukrainian culture initiated by the President of Ukraine. In this context, she suggested involving international experts, including representatives of leading European film festivals, in the selection of cultural projects, as well as in professional discussions and pitchings to be held in Ukraine in the summer of 2026.

As a result of the meeting, the parties confirmed their mutual interest in deepening cooperation, in particular by intensifying work on a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of culture and expanding the exchange of expertise in the field of cultural heritage protection. The Cypriot side also invited Ukrainian specialists to cooperate with the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, emphasising its readiness to share its own experience in preserving culture in the context of conflict.

International cultural cooperation, preservation of cultural heritage, Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, Ukraine, Cyprus, cultural diplomacy, Council of the EU