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UNESCO Places Chersonesus Taurica in Crimea on Danger List

On Friday, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee added "the Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora" to its List of World Heritage in Danger at the 48th session, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced.
The decision stems from Russia's illegal archaeological excavations and large-scale construction that Ukrainian experts say destroy the site's authenticity, with researcher Evelina Kravchenko warning of "negative processes."
Russian President Vladimir Putin personally championed the "New Chersonesus" museum-and-park complex, which authorities opened in July 2024 on the site's grounds, replacing authentic archaeology with a Russian-built narrative.
Beyond construction, Defense Intelligence documented Russia appropriating artifacts through unauthorized digs; Ukraine's prosecutor general reported Russia looted over 7.8 million artifacts and damaged nearly 2,000 cultural heritage sites since 2022.
The site marks the 988 baptism of Kyivan prince Volodymyr, an event Russia uses to claim shared history, while Ukraine received support from Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland during the UNESCO discussion.

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Al Jazeera

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UNESCO places occupied West Bank, Lebanon sites on endangered heritage list

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2 hours ago·Doha, Qatar

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Deutsche Welle

Center

UNESCO adds Lebanese, West Bank sites to endangered list

Israel has rejected the listing of a Lebanese castle and an occupied West Bank archaeological site. UNESCO added both sites to its World Heritage in Danger list in the context of Israeli activity.

8 hours ago·Bonn, Germany

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The Globe & Mail

Center

UNESCO adds West Bank site, Lebanese castles to World Heritage List despite Israeli objections

Israel withdrew from UNESCO in 2019, accusing the organization of being biased against it and of downplaying its historical ties to the Holy Land

9 hours ago·Toronto, Canada

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Anadolu Ajansı

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Archaeological site of Sebastia in West Bank added to List of World Heritage in Danger

UN cultural body approves emergency inscription, citing threats from land expropriation and Israeli measures

9 hours ago·Ankara, Türkiye

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Daily Sabah

Right

UNESCO places West Bank site Sebastia on danger list

UNESCO has added the archaeological site of Sebastia in the northern West Bank to its List of World Heritage in Danger, Palestinian officials said Friday. The decision was adopted...

10 hours ago·Istanbul, Türkiye

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Le Monde

Lean Left

UNESCO adds West Bank site and Lebanese castles to World Heritage List

The UN's cultural agency on Friday placed locations including a Lebanese castle recently conquered by Israeli forces and an archaeological site in the occupied West Bank on its list of World Heritage in Danger. Israel called the nominations 'a weaponization of cultural heritage.'

10 hours ago·Paris, France

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