Workshop To Establish Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund

A landmark expert workshop was held in Florence to accelerate the establishment of the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund (UCHF) – a vital initiative aimed at safeguarding Ukraine’s cultural heritage in the face of ongoing destruction resulting from Russian aggression.

Co-facilitated by Toni Attard, the workshop brought together more than 40 cultural leaders, policymakers, and development experts from across Europe. The gathering served as a critical platform to validate the proposed governance and operational model of the UCHF.

Among the distinguished participants was Galyna Grygorenko, First Deputy Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, who highlighted the urgent need to protect and restore Ukraine’s cultural infrastructure. To date, over 2,241 cultural institutions and 1,419 heritage sites, including monuments, monumental art, and architectural landmarks have been damaged or destroyed.

This workshop marks a significant milestone on the path toward the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) 2025 in Rome, where further commitments and international partnerships are expected to be announced.

The workshop was organised by the Center for Regional Development of the Economic Development Agency PPV, Ukraine and hosted by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure (OPD), the National Research Council – Institute of Heritage Science (CNR-ISPC), and the European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science (E-RIHS).