Eurocities
Ihor Terekhov, mayor of Kharkiv, and city of Turin win top prizes at Eurocities Awards 2025

Ihor Terekhov, mayor of Kharkiv, and the city of Turin have been announced as the winners of the Eurocities Awards 2025. Both winners have shown exceptional dedication to addressing society’s most urgent crises, while working to build a just and resilient future for everyone.
This year, the Eurocities Awards were re-invented. Eurocities member cities showcased not only outstanding urban projects but also the incredible people driving transformative change in our cities.
The first-ever City Heroes Award recognized politicians and city officials for their exceptional leadership or initiatives, at the local or European level. The inspiring local leaders nominated were Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, Ihor Terekhov, Mayor of Kharkiv, and Markku Markkula, President of Helsinki-Uusimaa Region and Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions.
The Inspiring City Initiative Award highlighted cities that are creating opportunities and investing in long-term prosperity for their residents. Second place in this category was awarded to Gothenburg’s school community hubs supporting children and their families, and third place went to Nice’s community restaurants tackling senior isolation. The other finalists were Gaziantep’s rehabilitation centre for Turkish earthquake survivors, and C6 Finland’s The Finnish Alliance model, supporting cooperation between Finland’s government and its six largest cities.
Mayor Ihor Terekhov was chosen for the extraordinary dedication and exceptional leadership he has shown in guiding the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv throughout the Russian war. Despite constant shelling and the city’s proximity to the Russian border, he has ensured the continuity of essential services for Kharkiv’s 1.3 million residents. His initiatives, including Ukraine’s only underground schools and free public transport, have made Kharkiv a symbol of resilience and innovation in the face of war.
Accepting his award, Ihor Terekhov, Mayor of Kharkiv, said: “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. 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.”
Inspiring City Initiative Award winner:
Turin was selected for its ToNite project which has transformed nighttime safety in the city’s once neglected Dora River area. By combining urban regeneration with social innovation, the project has made public spaces safer and more welcoming for the local community. It created an ‘outdoor campus’ for students, turned an abandoned site into a family-friendly playground, and improved the riverbanks with new lighting and street furniture. ToNite has also supported community-led projects involving over 30,000 people, strengthening social inclusion and building a stronger sense of community.
Daniela Silvi, Head of International Relations at the City of Turin, said: “We would like to express our gratitude and thanks for this acknowledgement that celebrates the dedication of our community to co-create solutions that prioritise equity, social inclusion, innovation and sustainability. From our industrial roots to our current role as living lab for urban experimentation, Turin has transformed challenges into opportunities, becoming European Capital of Innovation 2024-2025.”
Ricardo Rio, Mayor of Braga, and Chair of the Awards jury which shortlisted nominees, said: “Congratulations to this year’s winners of the Eurocities Awards. They are outstanding examples of how cities, and the inspiring people who lead them, are delivering practical solutions to transform people’s lives and strengthen our communities.”
“Throughout the Russian bombardment of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov has shown remarkable courage and leadership to support his people in the most difficult circumstances, and Turin’s ToNite project shows how urban regeneration can transform neighbourhoods, making them safer and more inclusive for residents. These awards celebrate the power of cities to lead in times of crisis and transformation.”
The awards ceremony took place on 5 June 2025, during the Eurocities Conference 2025, held in the Portuguese city of Braga.
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