Post-war reconstruction of Ukraine is our interest and moral obligation, said the head of the European Commission

Rome – The post-war reconstruction of Ukraine is in our interest and it is also our moral obligation. At the opening of a festival focused on innovative construction and sustainable architecture, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this today in Rome. According to the Commission President, Europe must ensure that even in crisis conditions, when investing in the reconstruction of Ukraine, ecological aspects are also taken into account.

The New European Bauhaus festival refers to the significant art-industrial school Bauhaus, which marked a revolution for modern architecture, art, and design in the early 20th century.

Von der Leyen stated that the event is also an opportunity for Ukraine, which will take a long time to recover from the war damages inflicted by the Russian army. Today's program included a debate that involved the mayor of the destroyed Mariupol and Ukrainian architects. "We will rebuild Ukraine. It's not just in our interest. It is also a moral obligation... And once we are committed to it, we should do it right,” the head of the EU executive said at the Maxxi Museum of Modern Art.

On stage next to the Commission President sat the recently awarded architectural Pritzker Prize winner Diébédo Francis Kéré, who often employs sustainable building methods and natural materials in his constructions. The jury praised him for his work characterized by modesty, courage, adaptation to natural conditions, and ecological innovations.