Odesa's Resilience: Restoration Efforts Amidst War
An event titled «Odesa's Resilience: Restoration Efforts Amidst War» took place in the Odesa region.
The meeting brought together representatives of the city government, scholars, international partners, and urban planners. Notable participants included: the President of the French Architects Association, Martin Duplantier; an advisor to the Office of the President of Ukraine, Dovydas Vitkauskas; and the former head of the Lithuanian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Alvydas Medalinskas.
During the dialogue, the First Deputy Mayor of Odesa, Oleksandr Filatov, emphasized that despite the historical center of Odesa being included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, Russian attacks continue to damage cultural monuments and civil infrastructure.
«Odesa remains a city of resilience and development. We are focused on preserving our cultural heritage and restoring the city as quickly as possible. Thanks to the joint efforts of the city authorities and specialists from the Odesa State Academy of Construction and Architecture, we have a clear action plan and practical experience in rebuilding homes and addressing the consequences of aggression,» Filatov stated.
Ukraine, particularly the port city of Odesa, is becoming a source of practical experience in business resilience and civil safety systems in wartime. We are not just reacting to threats; we are creating life-saving solutions, from building shelters and effective alerts to rapid response in the aftermath of attacks.
«Most importantly, we are not just adapting to the new reality; we are shaping it. We are creating models that are already attracting interest from Baltic countries and other European partners,» Filatov commented.
International partners also expressed interest in Odesa's experience in restoring buildings after hostile attacks. European experts noted their readiness to share their knowledge in managing UNESCO-protected sites and to assist in garnering international support for Odesa.
The rector of the Odesa State Academy of Construction and Architecture, Anatoliy Kovrov, highlighted the importance of the academic community's involvement in international cooperation, sharing experiences with European partners, and researching the impact of Russian strikes on urban architecture.
Following the meeting, participants agreed to continue the dialogue and initiate joint projects in urban restoration, cultural heritage preservation, and the development of international partnerships.
The event was organized by the public organization «Volunteer Movement «Common Goal» in collaboration with Urban Buro.
