The Mayor of Odesa, Hennadiy Trukhanov, and 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 for European and International Relations of the City of Vienna, during a working visit. 

Odesa and Vienna have maintained fruitful partnerships for many years and are now enhancing their relations in culture and heritage preservation. 

During the meeting, Mr. Woller shared Vienna's experience in preserving architecture and monuments, as well as the management system for the UNESCO World Heritage site, «Historic Center of Vienna». 

Ernst Woller emphasized that preserving history is critical for future generations in every city and country. 

Austria has gone through challenging periods in its history, yet it has managed to retain its architecture, culture, and art, sometimes altering the context of historical figures but always preserving the achievements of past generations. 

«Vienna is rightly considered a global capital of culture and art, while also receiving top awards in smart city innovation competitions,» Mr. Woller noted. 

As Hennadiy Trukhanov pointed out, Odesa is a Ukrainian city of culture, literature, and music. This year, the festival «Golden Violins of Odesa» will take place for the tenth time, further connecting us with Vienna. 

«It is very pleasant that our anniversary festival «Golden Violins of Odesa» will be held in the capital of Austria. Moreover, Vienna's experience in balancing heritage preservation and urban development is immensely beneficial for Odesa, which is currently developing practices for managing World Heritage sites amid war,» emphasized Hennadiy Trukhanov.