Khaled El-Enany arrives in Ukraine for first trip as director-general

UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany visited Ukraine for the first time in his current role on Aug. 15, meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha in Kyiv. Sybiha expressed gratitude for El-Enany's visit and UNESCO's ongoing support for Ukraine, emphasizing the symbolism of the trip taking place on the 975th anniversary of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The two officials discussed the protection of Ukraine's cultural heritage, including the Lavra and other threatened sites. Sybiha stressed the importance of continued UNESCO monitoring and documentation of damage caused by Russia, noting that culture, education, and historical heritage are integral to Ukraine's identity and national security.

Russia's attacks on cultural institutions are deliberate acts aimed at destroying Ukraine, Sybiha argued. Ukraine called for stronger mechanisms to recover looted cultural heritage, stating that the systematic removal of cultural property from Russian-occupied territories had reached an industrial scale. El-Enany and Sybiha also discussed expanding cooperation in culture, education, and science.

As of August 2026, UNESCO had mobilized over $77 million in assistance for Ukraine. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister praised UNESCO's role in mobilizing international support for Ukraine and expressed confidence in the partnership's future, emphasizing the need for continued leadership from UNESCO in defending Ukraine's culture, education, and science.