Vadym Boichenko on behalf of the Association of Cities of Ukraine received the Council of Europe "South-North" Award and presented Mariupol Reborn in Lisbon
On 14 December 2023, the South-North Award Ceremony took place in Lisbon. On behalf of all Ukrainian communities, the Council of Europe Award was received by the Mayor of Mariupol, Vadym Boichenko, and it was presented by the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Souza.
The purpose of awarding the Council of Europe Prize "South-North" is to note the efforts of the AUC in supporting democratic values. The jury noted its determination in ensuring better integration of internally displaced persons in new communities and solving socio-economic problems that arise in the country during the war. Currently, a section of temporarily occupied and de -industrial communities has been established at the Association of Ukrainian Cities, headed by Mariupol mayor.
On behalf of every Ukrainian city and my home town of Mariupol, I thank the Council of Europe and the distinguished President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, as well as the President of the Assembly of the Republic, Augusto Santos Silva. Thank you for your support of Ukrainian communities in our struggle for independence, development and the democratic path that Ukraine has chosen. Thank you for honouring the Association of Ukrainian Cities with the North-South Award. This award has now been given to 1042 communities that are members of the Association of Ukrainian Cities and where more than 90% of Ukraine's residents live. Many Ukrainian cities suffer from constant shelling on a daily basis. Some, such as my native Mariupol or Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Volnovakha, turned into ruins.The best are dying in this struggle. We are paying too high a price, but we know what we are fighting for. And we know that we are not alone
One of the main answers of the challenges of the war of Mariupol City Council is the project Mariupol Reborn, which was created, on the initiative of Vadym Boichenko, and is implemented together with domestic and international partners and financial institutions. During the year, Mariupol Reborn's team prepared several fundamental products for the city. This is a plan for a quick reconstruction of the city in the first 18 months after liberation from the occupiers. Yes, various scenarios of events were modeled, a preliminary assessment of the destruction of infrastructure, calculated the need for resources to restore critical infrastructure and utility companies. They also formed an algorithm of action to quickly restore housing, social facilities and temporary accommodation. Three platforms of Reborn have already been opened in Dnipro, Lviv and Warsaw on the basis of which Ukrainian and international experts are working on the development of components of the Reborn Plan. In general, Mariupol Reborn envisages the implementation of a large -scale plan of degeneration of the city within 20 years after Mariupol's de -occupation.
After the award ceremony, the Mariupol mayor met with Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas, discussing with his colleague the opportunity to enlist support in the revival of Ukrainian cities. A successful case in this key is Mariupol Reborn, which has already brought together European cities, including Warsaw, Gdansk, Utrecht, Gavr, Brussels and others, as well as by USAId international partners, and a large Ukrainian business presented by Rinat Akhmetov's SCM.
Recall that the South-North Prize has been awarded annually, since 1995, for global interdependence between countries, ensuring international solidarity, promotion and protection of human rights, democracy and the rule of law within Europe and the world among countries that share common values.
