Experience of Ten-Year Management of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian Region in Poland and Ukraine”

Abstract

For every country, and for Ukraine in particular, it is critical to preserve its own identity and self-awareness. Cultural heritage is a powerful tool for this. The UNESCO World Heritage List, which represents exceptional monuments of immovable cultural and natural heritage of the world, includes unique objects of the Polish-Ukrainian border – wooden churches of the Eastern tradition. 16 churches on both sides of the border are included in this prestigious list on the basis of two criteria, which represent the alive to this day traditions of the Eastern rite of Christianity in their rich symbolism, and as part of this the preserved construction ordinance of the temples building in their centuries-long evolution using traditional techniques and skills. Included in the list values are unique both in terms of the number of objects and the territory of their location and are not easy to manage. Preservation and development of the objects of the nomination “Wooden churches of the Carpathian region of Poland and Ukraine” are provided by a number of institutions, the experience of which is highlighted in this article. The purpose of the article is to highlight the way and methods of managing this cross-border value, among the tasks – drawing attention to this unique heritage and finding new ways of using it. The article analyses the path to the inclusion of objects in the List and the progress of the main management tasks – research and work on monuments, their preservation and use for religious and cultural purposes.