La Cantine de Marioupol: Stand With Ukraine’s project comes to life!

We are immensely proud to see La Cantine de Marioupol come to life, thanks to the commitment of the Stand With Ukraine teams and our partners. This project is much more than an act of solidarity, it’s an opportunity for reconstruction and reintegration for displaced Ukrainian families, and a symbol of hope for the country’s future.

From the outset of this ambitious project, we have worked hand in hand with theUkrainian Embassy in France and Cuisine Mode d’emploi(s). This project would never have seen the light of day without the invaluable help of Pierre Heilbronn, special representative of the President of the Republic for the reconstruction of Ukraine, the team at Business France Ukraine, led by Romain Desthieux, and the diplomats at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. We are also delighted to have supported the Marioupol town council in its partnership with the Le Havre town council.

The apprentices from Marioupol were warmly welcomed by the Toulouse City Council and the Free Ukraine – Toulouse team.

Together, we have laid the foundations for an initiative that aims to develop skills, create jobs and help heal the psychological wounds of Ukrainians hit by the war, by helping to reintegrate the people of Marioupol through concrete actions.

Today, seeing these 12 apprentices from Marioupol begin their training in cooking, baking, pastry-making and catering with Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx and his team is a crucial step towards the creation of La Cantine de Marioupol in Dnipro. This future cultural centre is part of a project by the Marioupol town council, supported by the French Embassy, to renovate 15,000 m² of former student accommodation. This project will accommodate 380 displaced families from Marioupol, and La Cantine de Marioupol will contribute to their human and social reconstruction by offering them a place to share and support.

A big thank you to all those who believe in this initiative and who, every day, help us to move forward! Together, through solidarity, we can build a better future for Ukraine.