UNESCO mission to Kharkiv: analysis of the destruction and steps to restore the State Industrial Complex

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov and the Head of the UNESCO Office in Ukraine Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi discussed the prospects of including Derzhprom and the entire architectural ensemble of Freedom Square in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This will provide additional international protection and help preserve the historical heritage of Kharkiv.  

The mayor noted that even during the daily shelling, the city is doing everything possible to preserve its cultural monuments. 

‘For us, Derzhprom is not just an architectural object. It is a symbol of Kharkiv, a symbol of our unbreakability. I remember well the day it was hit by a rocket. All city services immediately arrived at the scene to do everything possible to save the building. This is also a personal issue for me - my grandfather was involved in the construction of Derzhprom. Now we are striving to preserve it for future generations and are seeking to have it officially designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Last year, we set up a working group to monitor and remedy the consequences of the destruction of cultural and historical monuments, which included leading architects and historians, including Maxim Rosenfeld. They are working on this issue together with us,’ said the mayor.  

Representatives of the UNESCO mission conducted a preliminary inspection of Derzhprom. Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi noted that the experts are analysing the condition of the building after the shelling to determine the priority measures to stabilise it and further restore it.  

‘We are here to carry out a special monitoring review and submit the results to the Director-General of UNESCO. Derzhprom is already on the tentative World Heritage List and is under enhanced protection. Today we conducted an inspection and examined the site of the destruction after the explosion in October 2024. Together with local experts, we are analysing the situation and identifying the main measures to preserve it,’ she said.  

During the meeting, the parties also discussed other areas of assistance to Kharkiv, including education.