The long-awaited restoration of the 19th-century Marble Hall of Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University has begun, funded by the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP). The project covers the ceiling restoration and elements of the eastern façade entrance of the former Residence of the Metropolitans of Bukovyna and Dalmatia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The launch comes ahead of the university’s 150th anniversary on October 4.

The initiative began in 2019, when a project team led by Professor Tamara Marusyk prepared a grant application to the AFCP. In 2021, out of 80 global submissions, the university’s proposal was among 10 finalists and won a $365,000 grant—the second-largest AFCP-funded project in Ukraine’s history.

The project’s start in 2022 was delayed due to Russia’s full-scale invasion. Thanks to the U.S. Embassy’s support, the agreement was extended to 2024–2025, with all necessary approvals, tenders, and permits now complete.

Restoration work is underway: scaffolding has been installed to the hall’s 11-meter-high ceiling, and specialists are cleaning and reinforcing the coffered ceiling’s paint and wood before carefully restoring damaged artwork and ornamentation.

The project aims to safeguard this UNESCO heritage site for future generations, countering the destruction of Ukrainian cultural identity caused by Russian aggression. The university’s unique architecture continues to serve as a cultural diplomacy landmark, enhancing the image of both Bukovyna and Ukraine.