During the City Day celebration, the Mayor of Odessa, Gennady Trukhanov, honored notable figures in culture and art by presenting them with the "Cultural Capital" award for their achievements over the year.
"In times of war, culture serves not only as a source of inspiration, but also as an unbreakable force that unites us. The ideas and feelings you express through your creativity provide support for 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 at this time is exceptionally important. Their talent and creativity not only aid in restoring national pride but also bolster the economy.
Every project, exhibition, or concert is an opportunity for all of us to feel unity, to affirm that we are 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 Artist of Ukraine, Dean of the Fine Arts and Graphic Design Faculty at South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University named after K. D. Ushynskyi;
- Volodymyr Vrublevskyi, conductor and producer of the project "VLASNE. Ukrainian Project: four centuries of Ukrainian music from Bortnyansky to Vakarchuk", Maestro of the Odessa National Opera;
- Stas Zalobniuk, one of the brightest and most extraordinary artists in Odessa;
- Oleksandr Samusenko, Chief Director of the Odessa Academic Ukrainian Musical Drama Theater named after Vasyl Vasylyk;
- Tetyana Ivanova, Ukrainian actress, clown, and volunteer;
- Semen Kantor, art historian and art critic who headed the Museum of Contemporary Art in 2008;
- Pavlo Kozlenko, Honored Worker of Culture of Ukraine, public figure, PhD in Philosophy, Director of the Genocide Museum "Territory of Memory";
- Mykhailo Reva, Honored Artist of Ukraine, sculptor, founder of the RevaFoundation, co-founder of the charity fund "Future";
- Esfir Serpionova, artist, master of Ukrainian decorative applied arts, PhD in Pedagogical Sciences.
