Sybiha congratulates UNESCO on 80th anniversary and emphasizes resilience of Ukrainian culture

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha wrote this on the social media platform X, Ukrinform reports.

“For Ukraine, these values are not slogans. They are a frontline reality. As Russia wages a genocidal war against our people and identity, Ukraine stands firm - defending our heritage from missiles, safeguarding our schools under fire, and preserving our centuries-old history and ancient culture that the aggressor is trying to erase,” the Foreign Minister stated.

He added that even during wartime, Ukraine continues to create, educate, restore, digitize, and build partnerships worldwide.

Sybiha underscored that UNESCO’s mission rests on those who defend its values: “Today, Ukraine is one of them - committed, principled, unbreakable.”

Against the backdrop of Ukraine’s election to the Organization’s Executive Board, he stressed that “We will prove our commitment to UNESCO’s principles, and we will defend universal human values in the years ahead.”

“Happy 80th anniversary, UNESCO. May the next decades strengthen global unity against those who seek to destroy it - and may our shared values prevail,” the Foreign Minister added.

As Ukrinform reported, on November 7, Ukraine was elected to the UNESCO Executive Board for 2025–2029 with the highest number of votes.