Awards Ceremony for the Winners of the “Charitable Odesa Region 2025” Contest

On July 9, the Regional Development Agency of Odesa Region participated in the awards ceremony for the winners of the regional competition “Charitable Odesa Region 2025,” which traditionally brings together people who, through their daily work, change the lives of others.

Serhiy Kononenko, the Agency’s director, took part in the event, delivering a welcoming address to the participants and helping to present the awards to the contest winners.

In his speech, he emphasized that philanthropy is an integral part of the country’s resilience today. It is precisely through the combined efforts of philanthropists, volunteers, the business community, international partners, the civil society sector, and development institutions that Ukraine is not only overcoming today’s challenges but also laying the foundation for future recovery.

The Agency’s Ambassador’s Award

A particularly pleasant and significant event for the Agency’s team was the recognition of Ambassador Oleksandr Roytburg, who for the third consecutive year received the highest honor in the individual category “Philanthropist of the Year.”

This award is a natural result of Oleksandr’s many years of systematic work in the humanitarian sphere. For many years, he has been bringing together international partners, donors, volunteers, and philanthropists to support Ukraine, coordinating humanitarian initiatives, mobilizing aid for communities, and implementing projects that have a real impact on people’s lives.

For the Agency, this is confirmation that its ambassadors are people of action who represent the Odesa region not with words, but with concrete results, international connections, and daily work for the benefit of the region.

Acknowledgments

The Agency extends its gratitude to all donors, volunteers, representatives of the civil society sector, the business community, international partners, and state and local government bodies who, through their daily work, commitment, and support, help people and bring Ukraine’s recovery closer. It is thanks to such people that real change takes place, communities are strengthened, and the future of a strong, resilient, and successful state is shaped.