Thursday in Dnipro, we witnessed a powerful moment of Franco-Ukrainian solidarity:
192 displaced families, many originally from Mariupol, received the keys to their new homes in a former university building that has been fully renovated.
This marks the third phase of a major project that will eventually house a total of 360 families, providing them with safe, dignified, and long-term living conditions.
This initiative has been made possible thanks to the support and funding of France, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the International Organization for Migration – IOM Ukraine, the French Embassy in Ukraine, and the commitment of the local authorities of Dnipro and Mariupol, with mayors Borys Filatov and Vadym Boichenko.
On the ground floor of the building, a new chapter is about to begin: La Cantine de Marioupol, a unique space that will include a culinary training school, a teaching restaurant, and a cultural venue.
This project will offer displaced people and veterans a path toward rebuilding their lives, learning a trade, and envisioning a new professional future through the values and skills of French gastronomy.
Our association is actively contributing to the realization of this meaningful initiative and was represented in Dnipro by Edward Mayor, its president, alongside other Ukrainian and French partners. For nearly two years, Stand With Ukraine has carried this project forward in partnership with Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx and his culinary schools Cuisine Mode d’Emploi(s), the cities of Mariupol and Le Havre, the Embassy of Ukraine in France, Martin Duplantier Architectes, and many other committed partners.
In the fall of 2024, the first class of displaced Ukrainian women and veterans received training at Thierry Marx’s school in Toulouse. Those who completed the program, along with future students, will soon bring this solidarity-based space to life by putting their skills in French cuisine into practice.
We thank all those who support the realization of this initiative, and we warmly invite everyone who wishes to contribute to join us in supporting La Cantine de Marioupol.
