CULTURAL HERITAGE POLICY

The state list of historical and cultural monuments consists of 5527 objects. 2347 are the archaeological sites, 1992 – historical sites, 60 – art sites, 1759 – architectural sites, 11 are the sites of urban heritage and 4 are historical reserves. Moreover the List includes 76 elements of intangible heritage and 78 movable objects.

The national priorities in the field of the cultural Heritage will not be submitted to revision in the short and medium terms.

The main documents which regulate the cultural heritage are the “National strategy on the development of the Republic of Belarus for 2016- 2030”(1) and the ministerial programme "Culture of Belarus 2016 - 2020"(2). Their main priorities are the following:

• Ensuring public access to information about cultural heritage: creation of a national database of monuments, digitalization of the heritage’s documents); (2)
• Reducing the national legislation (different legal acts) to one Cultural Codex which will be finished in 2015; (2)
• Promoting educational activities in the heritage’s field; (1)
• Doubling the financing of the heritage’s preservation before2030;(1)
• Extension of the Belarusian part of the UNESCO World Heritage List up to 7 objects in 2020; (2)

 INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

The organisation of cultural heritage in all levels is managed by:

• President of the Republic of Belarus
• Council of Ministers
  Elaboration of general issues in the sphere.
• Ministry of Culture
  Elaboration of the policies in cultural heritage, control over the execution of the cultural legal acts.
• Regional executive bodies
  (enforcement of cultural legislation in regions, funding the conservation activities, permanent control on the condition of objects)
• Local executive bodies
  Enforcement of cultural legislation in districts, funding the conservation activities, permanent control on the condition of objects)
• Belarusian scientific and methodological Council on matters of historical and cultural heritage
  Under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus, it is a particular body for the questions of the giving and deprivation of status of historical and cultural value..

 LEGAL FRAMEWORK

The main legal acts in the sphere are the following:

• Law of the Republic of Belarus (January 9, 2006 N 98-3)
• On the protection of Historical and cultural Heritage of the Republic of Belarus
• Resolution of the Council of Ministers on the protection of archaeological sites during excavation and construction works (May, 22, 2002, №651)
• Resolution of the Council of Ministers on the giving and deprivation of status of historical and cultural value

All these documents are available at national legal portal www.pravo.by.

 RATIFIED INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

• World Heritage Convention (ratified 01 January, 1989)
• Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (ratified 14 May, 1954)
• First Protocol to the Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict 1999 (ratified 30 December 1954)
• Second Protocol to the Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict 1999 (ratified 26 March 1999)