For centuries, the St. Nicholas Monastery in Zhydychyn has remained the spiritual heart of Volyn and an important part of Ukraine's cultural memory. Today, amid war and other challenges, preserving sacred heritage requires not only care, but also modern professional approaches.

It is in this context that Zhydychyn Monastery became a participant in ICCROM's international programme READY Track 2:Safeguarding Heritage Buildings, Archaeological Sites, Living Traditions and Practices in the Face of Disasters, Climate Risks and Complex Emergencies

Ancient Zhydychyn in an International Programme

ICCROM is an international intergovernmental organisation founded under the auspices of UNESCO. It works in the field of cultural heritage conservation and develops modern approaches to protecting heritage during emergencies, armed conflicts, natural disasters and other threats.

Within the READY programme, Zhydychyn Monastery was chosen as a key training site for the practical development and application of a comprehensive Risk Assessment. 25 cultural heritage professionals from 19 countries took part in the work. For the international team, Zhydychyn became more than a historic monument. It is a living sacred space that brings together centuries of history, architectural heritage, monastic life, spiritual traditions, pilgrimage and the present-day life of the community.

Ukraine in the Programme

Ukraine was represented in the programme by Yuliia Dashchuk, a researcher at Lutsk National Technical University whose work lies at the intersection of tourism, cultural heritage and territorial development, and who studies Zhydychyn as a practical case. Her participation made it possible to present Ukraine's experience of caring for sacred heritage in wartime to the international professional community, and to take a direct part in applying international risk-assessment methods to Zhydychyn Monastery. Bringing this knowledge back into Ukrainian academia is just as important. The methods and practical experience gained during the programme can be used in research, teaching and the training of future specialists in tourism, cultural heritage and territorial management.

What Exactly Was Studied?

During the work, the specialists analysed potential threats to the monastery complex, from the consequences of armed conflict and emergencies to adverse weather, natural ageing of materials and other factors. This approach is about more than responding to damage that has already been done. Its purpose is to identify the site's vulnerabilities in advance, assess potential risks and prepare practical measures to prevent or minimise possible losses. This is especially important for Zhydychyn, where historic heritage continues to function as a living spiritual space.

How the Programme Worked

READY Track 2 is not a single training event but a sequential multi-stage programme combining theoretical preparation, practical work and the subsequent application of the knowledge gained. From 22 June to 22 July 2026, the online part of the programme took place: five weeks of foundational training. It laid the groundwork for the participants' further practical work. The next stage was the comprehensive risk assessment, from 15 July to 31 August 2026. During this period, participants worked in depth with the selected sites and put approaches to assessing threats and vulnerabilities into practice. From 7 to 18 September 2026, in Bucharest, Romania, the in-person part of the programme took place. It brought international experts together for intensive practical work, exchange of experience and deepening of the knowledge gained online. But the programme does not end there.

From September 2026 to April 2027, a post-training field project will be carried out. This stage is meant to transfer the acquired knowledge and skills into a real professional, institutional or community context. Thus, the work with Zhydychyn Monastery is not a one-off international study, but a long-term process of learning, risk assessment, practical work and further application of the approaches developed.

Heritage Is More Than Buildings

One of the key features of ICCROM's approach is treating tangible and intangible heritage as interconnected components. That is why the focus was not only on the churches, icons, architectural details and other material evidence of history. The prayer life of the monastery, its monastic traditions, oral history, spiritual practices and its bond with pilgrims and the local community are also an essential part of Zhydychyn's heritage. After all, a monastery is not only its buildings, but a living tradition that continues today.

What Does This Work Give Zhydychyn?

Participation in the READY programme made it possible to view Zhydychyn Monastery from an international professional perspective, apply a modern risk-assessment methodology and identify directions for further heritage-protection work. At the same time, Zhydychyn itself became a learning example for international specialists of how a sacred place can preserve its spiritual function, develop and remain important to its community even in times of great trial. A sign of Zhydychyn's high awareness and preparedness is that a Volunteer Fire Brigade already operates on the monastery's grounds. This unique example of grassroots civil safety and community engagement became an important element in assessing the site's overall resilience to emergencies, demonstrating to international experts an effective mechanism of local response.

For the monastery, this is above all an opportunity to turn international knowledge into concrete, practical solutions for preserving the cloister. For the academic community, it is an opportunity to combine modern international methods with Ukrainian practical experience and use them in further research and educational work.

Responsibility to the Future

Zhydychyn Monastery's participation in the ICCROM READY programme is not only international experience and professional recognition. It is, above all, a responsibility to ensure that the knowledge gained is put into practice and helps us better protect our holy place. Zhydychyn Monastery expresses its sincere gratitude to the ICCROM READY team, the international experts and all programme partners for the opportunity to work together on protecting cultural heritage.

We also thank everyone who cares for Ancient Zhydychyn every day through their work, knowledge, care and prayer.