On September, 20 our Association’s expert Borys Babin took part in event “Culture and International Human Rights”, held by American Society of International Law (ASIL) as a conversation with Professor Alexandra Xanthaki, UN Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights.
Event was moderated by ASIL researchers, Dr. Shea Esterling and Dr. Andrzej Jakubowski.
Let us remind, that our Association sent submissions to Dr. Xanthaki, describing brutal violations of cultural rights at Russia-occupied territories, including the Crimea.
At same time declarations of UN Special Rapporteur Xanthaki on alleged “discrimination” the agressor-controlled sportsmen become an object of active discussions in international sport federations and at International Olympic Committee, and her last report A/79/299 “The right to participate in sports” did not solve that problem.
During the discussion Professor Xanthaki outlined the objectives of her mandate, including the main areas of her forthcoming thematic reports. She stressed that at current topical human rigths discussions a cultural rights approach has been sidestepped, and she also referred to the issue of the protection of cultural human rights in the context of armed conflicts.
At the same time, during the event Dr. Xanthaki recognised directly, that her UN mandate was funded by special initiative of Cuba govermnent, so she is not too free on choosing topics of next researches and activities.
Regarding such situation Dr. Babin asked UN Special Rapporteur, as challenges on interstate conflicts for cultural rights are much broader, than sport issues, including aggressor’s looting of cultural heritage and destroying of archeologic and artistic heritage – will her plans cover next researches in those areas.
Dr. Xantahki stressed on this subject, that in conditions of conflict “cultural approach is not really discussed” in international structures and that relevant lawyers in international courts are “not too aware with definitions”.
At the same time UN Special Rapporteur promised to event participants, that in next year of her mandate her attention “will be focused on invasion of Russia into Ukraine”, as it has been previously suggested in our submissions, sent to Rapporteur.
