Minsk Independence Avenue to be nominated for World Heritage Site status

photo: www.belta.by

      Belarus intends to put Independence Avenue in Minsk up for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of an international serial nomination, Alla Stashkevich, head of the department of methodological assistance in the protection of the historical and cultural heritage at the Institute of Culture of Belarus, told BelTA.
     “The main thoroughfare of the Belarusian capital together with the key streets of Moscow, Kiev, Kharkov, Berlin and Warsaw will bid for the UNESCO World Heritage List status in the single nomination entitled Socialist Postwar Architecture in Central and Eastern Europe. It is about the architecture created after the war in the so-called Stalin Empire style,” Alla Stashkevich said.
       On 15-18 September Minsk will play host to the first orientation seminar. Partaking in the event will be experts from Russia, Ukraine, Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany. The leading specialists of these countries, and also architects and architecture experts will discuss the concept of the future nomination, decide on the most attractive zones of the main thoroughfares of the cities and architectural ensembles that will be included in the nomination file, and, finally will work out an action plan for cooperation. In November the Belarusian capital will host the second meeting of experts. The meeting will discuss the final concept draft and approve the corresponding plan of action.

In late 2017 - early 2018 the nomination documents will be submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Center.