The Mayor of Odesa, Hennadiy Trukhanov, and the Director of the Department of Culture, International Cooperation, and European Integration, Ivan Liptuga, met with Ernst Woller, the first president of the Vienna Parliament, and Alena Sirka-Bred, head of the Office of European and International Relations of Vienna during their working visit.
Odesa and Vienna have maintained a fruitful partnership for many years, particularly in the areas of culture and heritage preservation.
During the meeting, Mr. Woller shared Vienna's experience in preserving architectural heritage and managing the UNESCO World Heritage site of the “Historic Centre of Vienna”.
Ernst Woller emphasized that preserving history is essential for future generations in every city and country.
Austria has navigated through challenging periods in its history, yet it has managed to retain its architecture, culture, and arts, sometimes reinterpreting historical figures' contexts while always safeguarding the achievements of past generations.
“Today, Vienna is rightfully considered a global capital of culture and art, while also winning top awards in smart city innovation competitions,” Woller remarked.
As Hennadiy Trukhanov noted, Odesa is a city of culture, literature, and music. This year, we are also connected to Vienna through the “Golden Violins of Odesa” festival, which will celebrate its tenth anniversary.
“We are delighted that our anniversary festival “Golden Violins of Odesa” will take place in the capital of Austria. The experience of Vienna in balancing heritage preservation with urban development is invaluable for Odesa, which is currently developing its management practices for a world heritage site amid the war,” emphasized Hennadiy Trukhanov.
