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Odesa historic center added to UNESCO's World Heritage List

The listing means 194 nations that are party to the 1975 World Heritage Convention must commit to not deliberately cause direct or indirect damage to Odesa, and to help protect it.

Sculptures in the Odesa Passage hotel and shopping arcade
Sculptures in the Odesa Passage hotel and shopping arcade in the center of Ukraine's port city Odesa (AN/Anni Lonko/Unsplash)

A UNESCO committee voted to inscribe the Ukraine port of Odesa's historic center as a world heritage site, hoping to protect it against more damage from Russia's war.

The 6-1 vote, with 14 abstentions, in UNESCO's 21-nation World Heritage Committee on Wednesday overcame Russia's efforts to put off the vote. The Paris-based U.N. body cited the Black Sea port city's cultural value and humanity's duty to protect it.

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