Ukraine raising funds for heritage repairs through NFT sales

Ukraine’s government has launched NFTs based on a timeline of Russia’s ongoing invasion to raise funds to support restoration works to its damaged heritage sites.

The NFT collection “Meta History: Museum of War” consists of digital images and works created by domestic and international artists that document the first three days of the war from February 24 to 26. 

The project seeks to “preserve the memory of the real events of that time, spread truthful information among the world’s digital community and collect donations to support Ukraine,” according to the museum’s website. 

Proceeds from the sales will be used to repair cultural facilities damaged or destroyed by Russian missiles, and to support Ukraine’s civilians and military. 

“While Russia uses tanks to destroy Ukraine, we rely on revolutionary blockchain tech,” Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov wrote in his Twitter discussing the project.

The museum was first established in March with the aim of raising funds for military and civilian aid. According to the Ukrainian Government, the damage caused by the invasion to cultural and heritage sites translates to a 6 billion euros loss.

Seven of Ukraine’s sites, including St Sophia’s Cathedral and related monasteries in the capital of Kyiv, the Pecherskaya Abbey and the historical centre of the western city of Lviv, are listed as World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). 

UNESCO states that “all cultural heritage should not be targeted under any circumstances. Attacks on Ukraine’s cultural heritage must be stopped.” Damage has also been caused to the Babi Yar Holocaust Memorial Centre, a memorial to the Holocaust by Nazi Germany, in Kyiv.

In late February, the Ukrainian Government announced that it would accept donations in crypto assets including in Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Polkadot (DOT), as well as NFTs. The popular NFT project Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) announced on March 9 that it had donated Ethereum worth US$100 million to the official Ukrainian Government wallet.