About

Odesa is a city where the sea meets history, and its air always carries the spirit of creativity. The city’s literary heritage, born at the crossroads of cultures and languages, has become an integral part of world art.

Here, such literary classics as Ivan Kotliarevsky, Adam Mickiewicz, Mendele Mocher Sforim, Sholom Aleichem, Ivan Franko, Ivan Vazov, Ivan Bunin, Vladimir Jabotinsky, Vira Inber, Konstantin Paustovsky, Mykhailo Zhuk, and many others created their works.

At the renowned Londonska Hotel in Odesa, visitors over the years included Robert Louis Stevenson, Anton Chekhov, Elsa Triolet, Louis Aragon, and Georges Simenon. In August 1867, during his travels through Europe aboard the steamer Quaker City, the future eminent American writer and then journalist Mark Twain visited Odesa. This encounter with the city is described in his work The Innocents Abroad. During World War II, in 1943, Heinrich Böll found himself in Odesa, which he recounted in the story Then in Odesa.

This unique literary phenomenon, blending Ukrainian and global influences, laid the foundation for Odesa’s recognition. In 2019, the city was included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Literature. This acknowledgment not only highlights its rich heritage but also symbolizes openness, freedom of thought, and cultural wealth, which have always been characteristic of the city.

Today, amid a full-scale war, Odesa continues to preserve its multifaceted multicultural identity, demonstrating the resilience of its spirit. Literature becomes a tool for preserving memory and a symbol of hope for a peaceful future.

Literary Odesa, having endured many trials, now stands as a living testament that culture is a true weapon against darkness and destruction.

Odesa — UNESCO City of Literature is dedicated to the principles of creativity, cultural diversity, and literary heritage, which form the foundation for dialogue and mutual understanding among peoples.

In times of new challenges posed by conflicts and threats to freedom, we stand firmly in defense of freedom of speech, conscience, and human rights, ensuring open access to literature as a means of resisting censorship and violence.

The city of Odesa, with its rich multicultural history, supports educational initiatives, festivals, and international collaboration to help writers and readers preserve dignity and peace.

In Odesa, literature serves not only as a cultural heritage but also as a powerful tool for protecting fundamental human rights against all forms of oppression.

● The first book about Odesa was written by the French merchant Charles (Karl) Sicard. In 1808, he began publishing his work Letters on Odesa in the Parisian journal Bibliothèque Britannique. It was an inspired description of a young city that had emerged in a deserted steppe and, in a short time, became the most prosperous trading city in Europe. The complete book Letters on Odesa was published in 1818.

● Odesa became home to the first public library in Ukraine. At the request of Count M. S. Vorontsov, in September 1829, Emperor Nicholas I issued a decree to establish a municipal public library in Odesa — the second in the Russian Empire (after Saint Petersburg). By 1830, its collection numbered 5,000 books. Today, Odesa has 54 public libraries, including 26 specialized ones.

● Modern Jewish literature was born in Odesa. Mendele Mocher Sforim made spoken Yiddish a literary language — he was the first to write novels and stories in Yiddish. His student and friend Sholom Aleichem became one of the most famous writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The unique world of Odesa merchants and traders is depicted in his works with humor and affection.

● At the beginning of the 20th century, one of the most famous literary schools emerged in Odesa — the “Southwestern” or “Odesa” school. Isaac Babel, Ilya Ilf, Yevgeny Petrov, Valentin Kataev, Eduard Bagritsky, and others created a distinctive Odesa world — vibrant, colorful, full of irony, and love for life. The “Odesa language” includes words and expressions from many peoples who built the city: Jewish, Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, German, Greek, and Italian.

● In 1977, the Literary Museum was founded in Odesa. It opened in 1984 in the Palace of the Gagarin Princes, where the Literary and Artistic Society had operated in the early 20th century. The museum’s 24 halls showcase more than 400 writers and poets who visited Odesa or were born there. The museum’s collection contains over 80,000 exhibits, including unique books, manuscripts, photographs, and more.

The UNESCO City of Literature status has opened new cultural, international, and educational opportunities for Odesa. Through participation in the international network, Odesa:

● Promotes contemporary Ukrainian literature worldwide by involving Odesa writers in residencies, festivals, and translation projects.
● Develops cultural diplomacy by building partnerships with other UNESCO Cities of Literature.
● Supports young authors through competitions, literary studios, educational programs, and mentorship.
● Organizes high-profile literary events that bring together artists, translators, publishers, students, and readers from around the world.
● Strengthens the local cultural ecosystem — libraries, museums, book festivals, and publishing houses.
● Encourages the preservation and reinterpretation of Odesa’s literary heritage, integrating it into the contemporary cultural context.

This status is not just about recognition; it represents sustainable actions that transform the city, making it more open, visible, and attractive to the world — as a literary capital with a unique voice.

Maya Dimerli

Head of the “Odesa — UNESCO City of Literature” Office.
Manager of local and international projects.

Poet, prose writer, and translator.

Co-author and developer of the Odesa Cultural Development Strategy 2025–2035.

Holds a higher education degree in economics.

Antonina Poletti

Marketing Specialist.

Co-founder and Director of the English-language publication The Odessa Journal.

Actively supports Odesa’s cultural and media initiatives and works on developing the city’s international image.

Holds a degree in communication strategies, specializing in marketing, branding, and social media management.

Lala Aleskerova

Consultant in the fields of culture, literature, and the literary history of Odesa.

Author and organizer of numerous cultural projects; has worked in a museum, theater, concert organization, and exhibition company.

Co-author and developer of the Odesa Cultural Development Strategy 2025–2035.

Holds a higher education degree in philology.

Iryna Danshyna

Designer.

"Everything begins with inspiration, and inspiration begins with the first steps and a little sundress."

Holds a master’s degree in architecture with honors (defended entirely in English).