“Russian relevant agencies, primarily the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, are working hard to draw up new nominations for the UNESCO World Heritage List,” Ordzhonikidze pointed out in the interview with RIA Novosti, “Currently, the tentative list comprises about 25 cultural and natural monuments from all over the country – from the historic centres of Irkutsk, Rostov the Great and Yeniseisk to the “Bashkir Ural”, Kenozero National Park, and the Great Vasyugan Mire.”
In addition to the Kazan astronomical observatories, in the last two years, initiatives have been launched with regard to the Voronezh “Divnogorye” Museum-Reserve, “Katalyk” National Park in Yakutia, and the “Valley of the Kings of Tuva”.
“Despite the current political difficulties in cooperation with UNESCO, which, the way we see it, are temporary, we do not plan to wind up or in any way revise our traditionally creative and constructive contribution to the activities of the Organization. We hope for a reciprocal move on the part of our partners,” Ordzhonikidze emphasised.
The International Forum for the 50th Anniversary of Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage will be held from 1 to 9 December 2022 in Kazan and Saint Petersburg, at the venues previously intended for the 45th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.