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

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

During the meeting, Mr. Woller shared Vienna's experience in preserving architectural monuments and discussed the management system of the UNESCO World Heritage site, “Historic Centre of Vienna.”

Woller emphasized the importance of preserving history for future generations in every city and country.

Austria has gone through challenging historical periods but has managed to maintain its architecture, culture, and arts, sometimes adapting the context of certain historical figures while always preserving the achievements of past generations.

“Vienna is rightly considered a global capital of culture and arts, while also winning top prizes in smart city innovation competitions,” Mr. Woller said.

Hennadiy Trukhanov noted that Odesa is a Ukrainian city of culture, literature, and music. Currently, the festival “Golden Violins of Odesa,” which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, connects us with Vienna.

“It is very pleasant that our anniversary festival, ‘Golden Violins of Odesa,’ will take place in the capital of Austria. Moreover, Vienna's experience in balancing heritage preservation and urban development is invaluable for Odesa, which is currently developing management practices for its World Heritage site amidst the war,” emphasized Hennadiy Trukhanov.