Europe

Japan to Donate 10 M. Dlrs for UNESCO Aid to Ukraine

REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer
The UNESCO logo is seen during the opening of the 39th session of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at their headquarters in Paris, October 30, 2017.

Jiji Press

17:00 JST, February 9, 2023

PARIS (Jiji Press) — Japan will donate almost $10 million to finance UNESCO’s emergency measures in Ukraine and neighboring countries, the U.N. agency said Wednesday.

The aid will be used for UNESCO projects, particularly in Ukraine, in the fields of education, culture and the protection of journalists.

“This contribution makes Japan the leading partner in UNESCO’s Ukraine response,” the Paris-based organization said.

“I thank Japan for its commitment to UNESCO,” Director-General Audrey Azoulay said in a statement. “Japan’s support has reached a record level this year.”

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine started in February last year, a total of $18 million has been donated to the UNESCO projects by various countries.

Last month, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee added the historic center of the southern Ukraine port city of Odesa, often described as Ukraine’s “pearl of the Black Sea,” to its list of World Heritage sites.