Resilience in Odesa: Lessons Learned During Wartime
The event «Resilience in Odesa: Lessons Learned During Wartime» took place at the Odesa Regional Development Agency.
The meeting brought together representatives from the city government, academics, international partners, and urban planners. Among the participants were: the President of the French Architects Association, Martin Duplantier; advisor to the Office of the President of Ukraine and founder of the EU PravoJustice project, Dovidas Vitkauskas; and the former Chairman of the Lithuanian Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, Alvydas Medalinskas.
During the dialogue, the First Deputy Mayor of Odesa, Oleksandr Filatov, emphasized that despite the historic center of Odesa being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Russian attacks continue to harm cultural monuments and civil infrastructure.
«Odesa remains a city of resilience and growth. We are focused on preserving cultural heritage and restoring the city as quickly as possible. Thanks to the joint efforts of the city authorities and specialists from the Odesa State Academy of Construction and Architecture, we have a clear action plan and practical experience in restoring residential buildings and addressing the aftermath of aggression,» noted Oleksandr Filatov.
Ukraine, particularly the port city of Odesa, is becoming a source of practical experience in business resilience and civil security systems during wartime. We are not just responding to threats—we are creating life-saving solutions. From building shelters and effective alert systems to rapid-response recovery efforts and scientific support for stabilization and restoration of damaged facilities to systematic coordination with NGOs.
«And most importantly, we are not only adapting to the new reality; we are shaping it. We are creating models that are already attracting interest from Baltic countries and other European partners,» commented Oleksandr Filatov.
International partners also expressed interest in Odesa's experience in rebuilding after hostile attacks.
European experts noted their readiness to share their experiences in managing UNESCO-listed sites and to assist in attracting international support for Odesa.
The rector of the Odesa State Academy of Construction and Architecture, Anatolii Kovrov, emphasized the importance of academic community participation in international cooperation, exchanging experiences with European partners, and studying the impact of Russian strikes on urban architecture.
At the conclusion of the meeting, participants agreed to continue the dialogue and initiate joint projects in urban environment restoration, cultural heritage preservation, and the development of international partnerships.
The event was organized by the public organization «Volunteer Movement «Common Goal» in collaboration with Urban Buro.
