4 July 2025 – On the occasion of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, patron saint of the Sovereign Order of Malta, the Embassy of the Sovereign Order of Malta to Ukraine organized an international conference titled: “Aspects of Humanitarian Diplomacy in the Context of the War: Damage to Ukraine’s Cultural and Natural Heritage”.

The event was attended by representatives of Ukrainian executive authorities, members of the diplomatic corps and international organizations accredited in Ukraine, representatives of Churches and religious communities, and members of the academic and cultural sectors. It was held at the Hennadii Udovenko Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, and with the support of the State Enterprise for the Service of Foreign Missions, the UNESCO Office in Ukraine, and the National Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.”

Prior to the conference, guests were invited to view a photo exhibition titled “…But They Shall Be Restored in Glory and Strength” and “Postcards from Ukraine” by Ukrainian Institute, accompanied by a musical performance by bandura player Yaroslav Dzhus. The exhibition featured images of destroyed religious monuments and heritage sites.
In addition, thanks to the DOZOR special unit of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, participants had the opportunity to explore the exhibition “Zmiinyi: The Island Guarded by the Gods,” which displayed remnants from the destroyed local history museum on Zmiinyi (Snake) Island.

The event was moderated by Mr. Andy Hunder, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine.

Opening remarks were delivered by Ambassador Hennadii Nadolenko, Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine; H.E. Josef Blotz, Grand Hospitaller of the Sovereign Order of Malta; H.E. Antonio Gazzanti Pugliese di Cotrone, Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to Ukraine; Mrs. Marianna Betsa, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Chair of the National Commission of Ukraine for UNESCO; Mr. Andrii Nadzhos, Deputy Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine; Mr. Serhii Vlasenko, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine; Archbishop Ahapyt, Abbot of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery.

Panel I – Damage to Cultural Heritage
The first panel focused on damage to Ukraine’s cultural heritage in the context of war. Moderated by Dr. Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi, Head of the UNESCO Antenna in Ukraine, the discussion featured the following speakers: Archpriest Yaroslav Romanchuk, Rector of the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy; Mr. Ihor Poshyvailo, Director General of the National Memorial Complex of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred – Museum of the Revolution of Dignity; Ms. Milena Chorna, Head of the Ukrainian Museum Association; Dr. Taras Pschenychnyi, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of History at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
The panel explored the impact of the war on the preservation of national heritage, cultural identity through the lens of collective memory, and the destruction of religious sites as a result of Russian aggression.

Panel II – Environmental Damage
The second panel addressed the environmental consequences of the war. Moderated by Mr. Dmytro Zaruba, Deputy Head of the State Environmental Inspectorate of Ukraine, the panel included: Mr. Pier Carlo Sandei, Representative of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in Ukraine; Ms. Tetiana Tesolkina, PhD candidate, Department of Ecology and Zoology, Educational and Scientific Centre “Institute of Biology and Medicine”, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv; Mr. Oleksandr Lobov, Specialist with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine; Dr. Oleksandr Bonchkovskyi, Researcher at the Institute of Geography, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
The discussion focused on environmental damage caused by Russian aggression, the issue of mined territories, and the impact of explosive remnants of war on civilian life.

At the conclusion of the event, guests had the opportunity to taste a traditional Ukrainian dish, prepared by the team of the restaurant “Sto Rokiv Tomu Vpered”, under the direction of Chef Yevhen Klopotenko, based on a historical recipe rediscovered in the archives of Ostroh Academy.