Mariupol Reborn One Year On: Major Progress in Developing Fast Recovery Plan and Long-Term Regeneration
KYIV, UKRAINE, Dec 8, 2023 - (ACN Newswire) -Mariupol Reborn has been running for a year, planning the regeneration of Ukraine's famous seaside city. With support from across Ukraine and Europe, including from the SCM Group, it has developed a fast recovery plan and a long-term vision. And, importantly, it is providing vital support for the people of Mariupol.
Four visions for Mariupol
Tens of thousands of Mariupol residents were killed in the six weeks after the full-scale invasion in February 2022 as a direct consequence of Russian aggression. Hundreds of thousands of Mariupol residents have been displaced.
Vadym Boychenko, the mayor of Mariupol, said: "People are our greatest assets. Lost lives are our greatest pain. Mariupol's struggle will go down in history as an example of extraordinary heroism. They deserve the best home to return to and our goal is to create that. We know the government of Ukraine and our military will return Mariupol to Ukrainians. And when that happens, we will be ready to start work on Day One."
The Fast Recovery Plan will get the city running, prioritizing housing and utilities. The Russians have destroyed 90% of the city's infrastructure, half the apartment buildings, 15 hospitals, 63 schools and 40,000 houses have been damaged.
Mariupol Reborn has also started developing the city's long-term regeneration plan, working with Europe's leading architects, urban planners and experts in desovietization. The four visions are here.
Olexander Vyshniakov, director of Mariupol Reborn and Head of community development at Metinvest Holding, said, "Socially responsible businesses have a clear duty to support the communities they work in. That's why Rinat Akhmetov's SCM Group is Mariupol's main partner. The Group's businesses are also doing everything they can across Ukraine, providing employment and paying taxes, to maintain stability now and provide the platform for post-war development. Mariupol Reborn is a key part of our contribution to Ukraine's reconstruction."
Mariupol Reborn has widespread support, including USAID's Economic Support for Ukraine project. The SCM Group has allocated $1.5 million to fund nine programmes. These include the development of the visions, and offices in Lviv, Dnipro and Warsaw, where the project is gathering expertise and securing international partnerships.
Cities across Europe have already offered support, including Utrecht, Vilnius and Gdansk. This is important because Mariupol has a lot to learn, particularly from those that suffered destruction in previous wars.
Mariupol Reborn is also providing housing for displaced Mariupol people now. With financial support from the French government, the project has developed dormitories in Dnipro.
Ukrainian businessman Rinat Akhmetov said, "The Russian invasion has destroyed the lives of hundreds of thousands of peaceful Mariupol residents. And it has ended the lives of far too many: one was too many. Therefore, it is crucially important we do not leave people alone with their misfortune. That's why we must provide the people of Mariupol with homes, however temporary."
