On January 20, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, President of the National Commission of Ukraine for UNESCO Mariana Betsa held a meeting with Head of the UNESCO Office in Ukraine Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi and Advisor to the Office of the Director-General of UNESCO Guillaume Colin.

At the beginning of the meeting Mariana Betsa expressed gratitude to UNESCO for its support for Ukraine amidst the aggressive war waged by Russia against our country. The diplomat highlighted a long-standing tradition of strong cooperation between Ukraine and UNESCO, and focused attention on developing partnership in critically important areas.

"In these difficult times of full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine, UNESCO remains an unwavering partner of our country in defending its interests in the areas of the Organization's activities," emphasized Mariana Betsa, President of the National Commission, highlighting UNESCO's significant contribution to cooperation with various sectors of the National Commission, particularly in providing assistance to Ukraine's cultural sector. She highly appreciated UNESCO's efforts in restoring damaged cultural sites and implementing various projects to promote cultural development in Ukraine, including the establishment of the Lviv Culture Hub, scheduled to open on January 28, 2025.

Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi, Head of the UNESCO Office in Ukraine, confirmed the readiness to strengthen the partnership and expressed her willingness to direct efforts in the Organization's mandate areas to support the recovery and development of Ukraine.