During the City Day celebrations, Odessa's Mayor Gennady Trukhanov honored prominent artists by awarding them the "Cultural Capital" municipal award.
"During wartime, culture serves not only as a source of inspiration but also as an unyielding force that unites us. The ideas and emotions you convey through your creativity provide support to our fellow citizens, heal wounds, and offer hope for a better tomorrow. You lay the groundwork for the restoration and development of our country in the future," said Gennady Trukhanov.
Supporting artists during this challenging time is incredibly important. Their talent and creativity not only help restore national pride but also support the economy.
Every project, exhibition, or concert is an opportunity for all of us to feel unity and to affirm that we stand together in the fight for peace and prosperity.
The "Cultural Capital" award recipients are:
- Iryna Biryukova, General Director of the Odessa National Scientific Library, honored worker of culture of Ukraine;
- Dmytro Velychko, honored figure of arts of Ukraine, Dean of the Art and Graphics Faculty of the South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University;
- Volodymyr Vrublevskyi, conductor of the "VLASNE. Ukrainian Project: Four Centuries of Ukrainian Music";
- Stas Zhalobniuk, one of the brightest artists of Odessa;
- Oleksandr Samusenko, chief director of the Odessa Academic Ukrainian Music and Drama Theater;
- Tatiana Ivanova, Ukrainian actress and volunteer;
- Semyon Kantor, art historian and critic;
- Pavlo Kozlenko, honored worker of culture of Ukraine, public figure, and director of the Museum of Genocide;
- Mykhailo Reva, honored artist of Ukraine and founder of RevaFoundation;
- Esfir Serpionova, artist and candidate of pedagogical sciences.
