Ukraine | Historic cathedral, medieval quarter put on World Heritage in Danger List

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — The U.N.'s World Heritage Committee on Friday placed two major historical sites in Ukraine on its list of such sites that it considers to be in danger.

The iconic St. Sophia Cathedral in the capital, Kyiv, and the medieval center of the western city of Lviv, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites central to Ukraine’s culture and history. The decision Friday to put those two on the body’s list of sites “in danger” has no enforcement mechanism, but could help deter Russian attacks.

https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-un-heritage-war-54620f9e495fe50349cc568c8347ab87

For the time being, Venice escapes being added to World Heritage in Danger List

Venice, with its maze of canals and historic buildings, won't be added to a list of endangered World Heritage sites — for now.

At a meeting to discuss World Heritage sites underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, officials from 21 UNESCO member states decided Thursday not to add Venice, Italy to the World Heritage in Danger list.

https://www.npr.org/2023/09/14/1199545612/venice-wont-be-listed-as-one-of-the-worlds-most-endangered-sites

Over 1900 environmental activists killed for their work over last decade, new report says

Between 2012 and 2022, at least 1,910 people advocating for environmental protection were killed worldwide, a new report finds.

In 2022 alone, 177 environmental activists were murdered, or roughly one every other day, according to Global Witness, a U.K.-based watchdog group. “Violence, intimidation, and harassment are also being inflicted to silence defenders around the world,” Shruti Suresh, of Global Witness, said in a statement.

https://e360.yale.edu/digest/environmental-defenders-murdered-2022