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The Beet Goes On: UNESCO Sides With Ukraine Over Russia In 'Borscht War'

By RFE/RL July 01, 2022

UNESCO, the UN's cultural agency, has weighed in on the brouhaha over borscht, officially recognizing the cooking of the beetroot soup as part of Ukraine's cultural heritage, despite similar claims by Russia.

The culture of Ukrainian borscht cooking "was today inscribed on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding" by a UNESCO committee, a UNESCO statement said on July 1.

The decision was approved after a fast-track process prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the "negative impact on this tradition" caused by the war, UNESCO said.

"Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, UNESCO has initiated a series of emergency measures in the fields of culture, education, as well as the protection of journalists, in accordance with UNESCO's mandate," UNESCO added.

Ukrainian Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko hailed UNESCO's move, calling it Ukraine's "victory in the borscht war."

"And remember and be sure that we will win both in the war of borscht and in this war," referring to Russia's invasion.

With reporting by AFP, Ukrayinska pravda, Ukrinform, and UNIAN

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-borscht-war- unesco-cultural-heritage/31924814.html

Copyright (c) 2022. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.