Paris, 20 March 2014       

Madam Director-General,

Your Excellency,

During our meeting a few days ago, I greeted, in your capacity of leadership of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations and its Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for a consistent and balanced position with regard to resolution of the crisis over Crimea, based on the principles of the UN Charter and respect for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

During the said meeting, I informed you about the extremely tense situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, caused by a flagrant violation of the Russian Federation of fundamental treaties governing the Ukrainian-Russian relations, in particular with regard to the temporary deployment of Russian Black Sea Fleet on the Ukrainian territory.

Russia de facto started a military intervention in Crimea that presents a direct threat of humanitarian character with regard to preservation of cultural heritage and, in particular, of Ukrainian UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated on the peninsula.

In this context, your decision to attribute the honorary title of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador to People's Artist of Russia Mr.Denis Matsuev – one of the signatories of a joint letter of Russian artists, supporting the interventionist policy of the Russian leadership towards Ukraine, led to numerous appeals to the Permanent Delegation. In particular, representatives of the Ukrainian community in France and other countries will require clarification on the position of UNESCO leadership on this issue, since it is a well-known fact that the main statutory vocation of UNESCO is precisely the upholding of the principles of the culture of peace, education of youth in the spirit of non-violence and tolerance.

 Eloquent testimony of the attitude of the Ukrainian society towards a nominee who believes that the future of two nations "with common culture" should be built upon use of force is, in particular, the cancellation of his concert in Kyiv, previously scheduled for May 27 next.

The Permanent Delegation also expresses deep disappointment with the fact that among the signatories of the said collective artists’ appeal are, among others, two UNESCO Artists for Peace representing Russia - Valery Gergiev and Vladimir Spivakov.

Not questioning in any case your right to attribute UNESCO honorary titles, the Permanent Delegation of Ukraine to UNESCO calls upon you, given the current international context and specifics of UNESCO activities, to reconsider the decision to hold the official ceremony of awarding the honorary title to Mr. Denis Matsuyev, scheduled to take place on the 2^nd of April 2014 at UNESCO headquarters.

 

            Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

 

Oleksandr Kupchyshyn

Ambassador, Permanent Delegate

 

 Сканована версія листа: letter_1.pdf  letter_2.pdf