On September 4 in Brussels, an important event took place: Tetyana Berezhna, acting Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, and Valery Freland, Executive Director of ALIPH, signed an agreement to establish a new fund for the protection of Ukraine's cultural heritage.

This fund, according to the Ministry of Culture's announcement, will serve as a crucial tool for coordinating international financial support aimed at preserving and restoring Ukraine's cultural heritage.

The main objectives of the fund include attracting donations, organizing project competitions, supporting digital transformation in the heritage sector, and developing the professional community. The main office will be located in one of the EU member states, with a representation in Ukraine.

“This fund will become a transparent platform for the implementation of projects that will aid in the protection of cultural collections and the restoration of damaged sites. With clear management rules, we are creating an effective tool for long-term impact,” emphasized Tetyana Berezhna.

Valery Freland also noted that ALIPH is already actively working on the protection of cultural objects in Ukraine, and the creation of the fund will allow them to leverage their experience in this new initiative.

The initiative to create the fund was announced on July 10, 2025, during a conference in Rome, where the Ministry of Culture began systematically working on its implementation.

A significant step was the seminar held in Florence, where international experts discussed mechanisms for protecting cultural heritage during crises. The signing of the memorandum with ALIPH marks the beginning of a new phase in the implementation of this initiative.

ALIPH (International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas) is a leading international organization specializing in the protection of cultural objects in conflict zones. Since 2022, ALIPH has supported over 500 organizations in Ukraine.