The Mayor of Odesa, Hennadiy Trukhanov, met with a group of Italian parliamentarians led by the Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies, Mr. Giorgio Mule, who heads the Italian section of the Italy-Ukraine interparliamentary cooperation group. The Ambassador of the Italian Republic to Ukraine, Mr. Carlo Formosa, was also present at the meeting. 

During the dialogue, it was noted that Italy is patronizing the reconstruction of Odesa, and the parliamentarians came to personally familiarize themselves with the city, its landmarks, assess the scale of destruction, and determine specific recovery needs. This will allow them to better understand what resources and support are necessary for effective reconstruction and restoration. 

The parties also discussed promising areas for attracting investments, with culture being a potential focus. Italians are confident that history cannot be erased, no matter what it entails. 

«History evolves, so we need to mature alongside it and accept its various moments. Many operas in Italy were written during the fascist era, and buildings were constructed. But that’s not a reason to avoid visiting them, let alone demolish them. Art belongs to the world!» - expressed a common opinion by Mr. Mule. 

Italian deputies expressed solidarity with the mayor and the residents of Odesa regarding the preservation of heritage, which has contributed to Odesa becoming a UNESCO literary city.