Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday that another Russian site has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2025.
Speaking at a meeting of the Russian Commission for UNESCO in Moscow, Lavrov confirmed that Shulgan-Tash Cave in the Turkic region of Bashkortostan was added to the UNESCO list.
"At the initiative of Russia, UNESCO's World Heritage Committee has included in the World Heritage List the masterpiece of Paleolithic art located in Bashkortostan, the rock paintings of Shulgan-Tash Cave. There are now 34 Russian sites on the list," he said.
Shulgan-Tash Cave, also known as Kapova Cave, is renowned for its Upper Paleolithic rock art, featuring over 190 paintings and drawings, including the only known prehistoric depiction of a two-humped camel.
Lavrov also welcomed the election of Khaled El-Enany as UNESCO director-general, expressing hope he will correct "numerous errors" made under the previous leadership of Audrey Azoulay.
"Welcoming the new director-general's orientation toward reinforcing the role of member states in running the organization, ensuring its financial transparency and accountability," he said.
He emphasized that financial transparency is especially important given that the U.S. exited UNESCO without clearing its tens of millions of debt.
On July 22, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the country's withdrawal from UNESCO.
Lavrov also indicated that Russia may join the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
"I suggest reviewing the feasibility of engaging in new mechanisms within UNESCO that are novel for us. Specifically, popularizing the cultural and linguistic heritage of our nation's peoples, as well as unique experiences in preserving it, could be facilitated by joining the 2023 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage," he said.
He said Moscow is "familiar with this convention, and various perspectives have been expressed throughout our work," he said. "Perhaps now is the time to revisit this issue in an interdepartmental format."
