Kharkiv wins for underground schools and free transport
10 June 2025
by Jonathan Andrews
The mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov (pictured), has been awarded the City Heroes Award at the Eurocities Awards 2025, recognised for his exceptional leadership under the pressures of war.
As Russian forces continue their assault on Ukraine’s second-largest city, Terekhov has sustained essential services for 1.3 million residents and launched innovative measures such as underground schools and free public transport.
Kharkiv, located just 30 kilometres from the Russian border, has endured relentless shelling since the start of the full-scale invasion. Under Terekhov’s leadership, the city has become a symbol of resilience, with local authorities maintaining public infrastructure, education and social support systems in near-constant crisis conditions.
“It is a great honour for me to receive this Eurocities Award, but I want to emphasise that it does not belong to me personally, it belongs to the whole of Kharkiv city and every citizen,” Terekhov said. “It is a recognition of our joint efforts, our resilience and unity. This is the result of the support we have received from the cities of Europe throughout the war.”
Eurocities Awards jury chair and mayor of Braga, Ricardo Rio, praised Terekhov’s steadfastness: “Throughout the Russian bombardment of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov has shown remarkable courage and leadership to support his people in the most difficult circumstances.”
New president elected
The conference also marked the election of Mathias De Clercq, Mayor of Ghent, as the new President of Eurocities. De Clercq pledged to defend democratic values and ensure that the voices of cities are central to European policymaking.
“We must remain steadfast in defending European democratic principles,” De Clercq said. “This includes standing with the people of Ukraine and continuing to call for the release of Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mayor of Istanbul. Eurocities will continue advocating for democratic values, diversity, and peace both within and beyond the EU.”
Turin won the Inspiring City Initiative Award for its ToNite project, which has revitalised the Dora River area through urban design and community-led projects. Gothenburg and Nice took second and third place, respectively, while finalists included projects from Finland and Turkey supporting social resilience and disaster recovery.
Main image: Vladyslav Musiienko | Dreamstime.com
