With EU support UNESCO announces over €2,5 million additional support to Ukraine’s scientific and cultural sector
UNESCO today announced new contributions to support the country’s reconstruction and long-term resilience at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) 2026.
In cooperation with the European Union, which will provide an additional support of EUR 2 million, UNESCO is expanding ongoing efforts aimed at safeguarding Ukraine’s documentary heritage and ensuring digital and inclusive access to information.
In partnership with Flanders, UNESCO is strengthening Ukraine’s scientific sector through remote access to laboratories, support for research continuity, upgraded marine monitoring equipment, and policy coordination, with a contribution of over EUR 525,000.
Ukraine’s recovery is rooted in the strength of its people, its knowledge, and its cultural memory. Through these partnerships with the European Union and Flanders, UNESCO is helping safeguard Ukraine’s documentary heritage while enabling its scientific community to continue working, innovating and contributing to the country’s future. Investing in people, knowledge and cultural memory today is an investment in Ukraine’s long-term recovery and resilience.
Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi, Head of the UNESCO Antenna in Ukraine
Safeguarding Ukraine’s documentary heritage
UNESCO is expanding ongoing efforts aimed at safeguarding Ukraine’s documentary heritage and ensuring digital and inclusive access to information. The contribution builds on the EU-funded initiative aimed at preserving Ukraine’s Jewish documentary heritage, which UNESCO has been implementing since February 2025. Building on the achievements and lessons learned from the first phase, UNESCO will expand the scope of the initiative to support documentary heritage across Ukraine, including the heritage of national minorities.
The new initiative will strengthen emergency preparedness and stabilization capacities of memory institutions, while helping protect documentary collections exposed to war-related risks. It will support the development of sustainable digitization and digital preservation systems, strengthen institutional cooperation and policy coordination, and enhance professional capacities in line with international standards.
The initiative will also support efforts by national minority communities to preserve, digitize and promote their documentary and cultural heritage and will encourage wider public engagement with documentary heritage. By preserving and improving access to verified documentary sources, the initiative will help ensure that Ukraine’s rich and diverse documentary heritage remains accessible for researchers, journalists, cultural practitioners.
The initiative will be implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, the State Archival Service of Ukraine, memory institutions, academic partners and civil society organizations across the country.
Ukraine’s recovery depends on our ability to protect what makes us a nation and to invest in the people who will shape our future. I thank UNESCO, the European Union, Flanders and all our partners for standing with Ukraine and supporting both our documentary heritage and our scientific community. Together, we are preserving historical truth, strengthening resilience and creating new opportunities for future generations.
Tetyana Berezhna, Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy - Minister of Culture of Ukraine
Strengthening scientific community
UNESCO studies identified damage or destruction to 1,443 buildings from 177 scientific institutions, with at least 30% of research infrastructure lost since 2022. This new two-year initiative supported by Flanders will provide emergency support to Ukrainian scientists and strengthen the resilience of the country’s scientific ecosystem.
This support is primarily important for Ukrainian researchers who, despite the war, continue to work, preserve research teams, and maintain scientific results. For the Ministry of Education and Science, it is essential that Ukrainian science remains integrated into the international community, with access to laboratories, partnerships, and modern infrastructure. Cooperation with UNESCO and the Government of Flanders helps not only to respond to the consequences of the war, but also to lay the foundation for the long-term recovery of Ukraine’s scientific sector.
Denys Kurbatov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine
A key component of the initiative will expand UNESCO’s Remote Access to Laboratory Equipment initiative (UNESRALE), enabling Ukrainian researchers to continue their work through remote access to international research infrastructure and professional development opportunities. At least 55 researchers will receive support for remote access and training, while at least 15 researchers will benefit from short-term scientific visits to laboratories, including through cooperation with the Flemish research and innovation ecosystem.
The support will also include research-enabling packages to help selected researchers cover costs related to laboratory access, materials, publication fees, short-term visits, and research continuity. Attention will be given to vulnerable groups, including women, young and early-career scientists, and displaced researchers.
The initiative will also enable the upgrade of at least two marine water monitoring laboratories, helping address war-related damage to scientific infrastructure and strengthen Ukraine’s capacity in areas such as environmental monitoring and climate resilience.
Ukraine’s recovery will depend on the people who can help rebuild its economy and society: scientists, engineers and innovators. Through our cooperation with UNESCO, Flanders is helping Ukrainian researchers keep working and connecting with Flemish expertise. This initiative offers immediate support to researchers and contributes to Ukraine’s long-term reconstruction.
Matthias Diependaele, Minister-President of Flanders
Overall, the initiative is expected to directly reach at least 155 individuals from more than 100 universities and research institutions. It will be implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the National Research Foundation of Ukraine, Flemish knowledge institutions and partners of the International Coalition for Science, Research and Innovation in Ukraine.
Contact for media
Zhanna Sirkovych
Communication Officer, Kyiv Desk
z.sirkovych@unesco.org