The Mayor of Odesa, Hennadiy Trukhanov, along with the Director of the Department of Culture, International Cooperation, and European Integration, Ivan Liptuga, visited Vienna for a meeting with Ernst Woller, the first president of the Vienna Parliament, and Alena Sirka-Bred, the head of the Office for European and International Relations.

For many years, Odesa and Vienna have maintained fruitful partnerships, particularly in culture and heritage preservation.

During the meeting, Mr. Woller shared insights on Vienna's experience in preserving architectural monuments and managing UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Woller emphasized that preserving historical contexts is crucial for future generations in every city.

Austria has experienced challenging historical periods but has successfully preserved its architecture, culture, and arts, adapting certain narratives while always honoring the legacies left by earlier generations.

“Vienna is rightfully recognized as a global capital of culture and arts, while also achieving top awards in smart city innovation competitions,” said Mr. Woller.

Hennadiy Trukhanov noted that Odesa is a city of culture, literature, and music, and the upcoming festival “Golden Violins of Odesa,” celebrating its tenth edition this year, further strengthens ties with Vienna.

“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 practices for managing world heritage sites amidst war,” emphasized Hennadiy Trukhanov.