Odesa City Hall suggests rethinking the city's cultural identity

Odesa hosted a presentation of a large-scale cultural and educational project, ODESA ID, designed to rethink and strengthen the city's Ukrainian identity.

As explained by Odesa Mayor Ihor Koval, the project's main goal is to create its own framework of self-awareness of Odesa as an integral part of Ukraine.

The project will start with research: surveys, data collection and analysis, which will allow us to move from intuitive assumptions to strategic decisions. At the same time, an open discussion platform will be created to engage independent experts, scholars, cultural figures, and community representatives in discussions.

The project is divided into four stages:

• Q1: research, launch of the discussion platform, analytics, lectures, trainings, and public events;
• Q2 - continuation of research programs, identity development, educational projects, forums, public discussions, and community engagement events;
• III quarter - scaling up cultural initiatives: art projects, forums, integration of research results into practice;
• Q4 - summarizing the results, presenting the results, and developing a strategy for the next year.

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VIDEO: Odesa City Hall

According to Olha Lozova, deputy head of the Odesa City Military Administration, the project does not require additional funding - it integrates existing city programs. Particular emphasis is placed on youth and the educational environment, as this is where values and civic position are formed.

In November 2025, Odesa adopted a new city charter with a Ukrainian anthem and no mention of Odesa's place in the Russian Empire or the feat of the Russian military in the city's history.

A mention was also made that the traditions of urban planning within the boundaries of modern Odesa date back to antiquity. Cartographic documents from the early 14th century (1311) and archaeological materials indicate the existence of a Ginestra factory (trading post) on the shores of the modern Gulf of Odesa, and the first written mention of the port (Kochubiyiv, Kachibey, Khadzhibey) is dated May 19, 1415.

Кирило Бойко