United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural OrganizationThe Russian Federation, which has fifteen cultural sites and eight natural sites on the World Heritage List, actively protects and promotes sites belonging to its cultural and natural heritage, in addition to preparing future nominations for the World Heritage List.
Regarding living heritage, the Cultural Space and Oral Culture of the Semeiskie and the Olonkho, Yakut Heroic Epos were declared Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2001 and 2005 respectively. The Russian Federation is also concerned with safeguarding endangered languages of the indigenous peoples of Siberia.
The Russian Federation and UNESCO also cooperate in the area of intercultural dialogue. An international conference entitled "Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue for Peace and Sustainable Development" was organized in Moscow in 2006.
As part of the UNESCO analytical and systematic survey of caravanserais in Central Asia, a study of the caravanserais and caravan routes of Eurasia is presently under way.
In addition to these extended programmes, two major flagship projects for cooperation between the Russian Federation and UNESCO concern the rebuilding of the Bolshoi Theatre and modernization and the development of the Hermitage Museum.