On the 7th September 2012 Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Ukraine to UNESCO Oleksandr Kupchyshyn met the UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova to discuss current issues of cooperation of Ukraine with the Organization.

The Director General informed of her recent participation at the inauguration ceremony of the trilateral (Ukraine, Belarus, Poland) transboundary biosphere reserve “West Polessiye”, as well as its inclusion to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

I.Bokova expressed her high appreciation with regard to the creation of this reserve that can serve, in her opinion, as one of the best examples of international cooperation in the field of natural sciences, as well as a unique scientific basis for research in climate change.

The Permanent Delegate of Ukraine expressed his satisfaction with the successful development of Ukraine-initiated topics, in particular the ones on the role of religious communities in the management of World Heritage properties and astronomical heritage, as well as with the beginning of implementation of the project entitled “Modernization and conservation program of Lviv Folk Architecture and Traditions Museum collections”, to the total amount of 541 thousand dollars.

O.Kupchyshyn mentioned the efforts of Ukraine aimed at preservation of cultural heritage of worldwide significance in the Ukrainian capital, namely in the context of modern dynamic trends of urban development that are common to many countries and regions of the world.

A letter of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, touching upon the commemoration at the international level of the 200th birth anniversary of Taras Shevchenko, including the intentions of Ukraine to inscribe this date to the Calendar of Anniversaries with which UNESCO associates itself in 2014-2015 was handed over to I.Bokova.

While discussing the development of Chornobyl-related issues, the Director General expressed her vision of the necessity to involve UNESCO in the elaboration of educational programs on prevention of anthropogenic catastrophes and sustainable development.

The interlocutors exchanged opinions on the on-going process of UNESCO reforms, financial situation within the Organization, issues of preservation of world cultural heritage in danger, resulting from armed conflict in Syria.

Permanent delegate of Ukraine confirmed to I.Bokova the invitation of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine K.Gryshchenko to come to Ukraine with an official visit at the time of her convenience. The invitation was accepted with gratitude.