Back on April 26, 1986, the world’s worst nuclear disaster hit Chernobyl and the haunting ruins have been crumbling ever since. Ukraine is now seeking recognition from UNESCO in the hope of Chernobyl being added to its World Heritage list in order to maintain the site and attract more visitors.
Chernobyl seeking UNESCO World Heritage status
After the nuclear disaster happened in Chernobyl in 1986, the site was abandoned and renamed the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. This site also includes the ghost town of Pripyat, a town that once was home to 50,000 residents. The town lay close to the nuclear reactor and was built mainly to house the families of workers at the plant. When residents left, they believed they would return, so they left their belongings behind, which can still be seen today.
In an effort to preserve the crumbling ruins, Ukraine is seeking recognition from UNESCO in the hope that Chernobyl can be added to its World Heritage list. They hope that by being recognized, it will attract more visitors to the haunting site, which would bring in funding to preserve the site.
Chernobyl As A Tourist Attraction
Currently the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and the town of Pripyat have no official status. However, the site has attracted visitors following the release of the hit TV series, Chernobyl in 2019. Last year, almost 125,000 tourists visited the site to tour the 19 mile Exclusion Zone surrounding the former nuclear reactor complex, a site that is larger than Luxembourg.
Authorities believe it could take as long as 24,000 years for people to be able to live permanently in the region in safety. Even though radiation levels are still higher than normal, tourist operators say it is safe for short-term visits. The enigmatic site fascinates many tourists and in 2019, bookings were up by as much as 40 percent.
In 2016, authorities placed a large protective dome over the fourth nuclear reactor to contain the radioactive debris. In 2019, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an announcement to say that new walking trails have been added, as well as better mobile phone reception for visitors. He also noted that former restrictions on filming would be lifted. Searching online brings up many haunting images of Chernobyl and Pripyat, including images of a decaying amusement park. Further, to cut down on corruption and unauthorized tours, an electronic ticketing system was introduced.
Zelensky said that up until now, Chernobyl has been a “negative part of Ukraine’s brand.” He said the time has come to change this. The president said a new green corridor will be created for visitors, adding that the site is a unique place on the planet where “nature has been reborn” following a huge manmade disaster. Zelensky stressed that they need to show the site to the world – to scientists, ecologists, historians and tourists.
AFP reported that the Ukrainian government is expected to propose specific locations in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone to UNESCO in March 2021. However, a final decision on this might not be made until 2023.
Take a brief video tour of Chernobyl in the video included here.
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