Abstract. In 2018, Mariupol joined the Public Budget program, where local residents were invited to propose projects that would improve the city. When funded, these projects received funding from the city budget, a key step towards participatory decision-making in Mariupol.

The article conducts a comparative study of the participation of Mariupol residents in the implementation of joint public initiatives, that is, which local problems were the projects of Mariupol residents aimed at solving. For this, a system of modern scientific methods of cognition was used for in-depth analysis of the chosen problem. In order to determine the likely directions of implementation of future initiatives, we conducted a survey among project authors who participated in the “Public Budget” competition, analyzed statistical data on the competition platform for 4 years, and based on the received data, made a forecast of the likely directions of future projects.

Finally, the article argues that the key challenges that might arise in the process of planning the reconstruction of Mariupol are the following: trust in local authorities; selection of heritage sites to be restored together with critical infrastructure; protracted war; changes in the population structure of post-war Mariupol and problems with the housing stock.

Mariupol is a Ukrainian city of regional importance in the Donetsk region. It is located in the southeast of Ukraine, close to the border with Russia. Mariupol is a climatic and mud resort on the shores of the Sea of Azov. In Soviet times and already after gaining independence, Ukrainian Mariupol was frequented by Russian tourists. This affected the way residents see the city and became the basis for the formation of conflicting political-ideological views.

At the beginning of 2022, Mariupol had a powerful economic and intellectual potential, the city was the cultural center of the region with a historic central area. The post-2014 development of Mariupol was impressive, it was noted by everyone who visited the city. Especially those who came to the city from the occupied territories of Ukraine. Everything changed on February 24, 2022, after the start of a full-scale invasion of Russia on the territory of Ukraine. Now the city is destroyed. But we are confident in the victory of Ukraine and are already planning the reconstruction of Ukrainian Mariupol.

There has always been a diversity of political views in Mariupol. This manifested itself at the end of 2013, when conflicts of views began in the city, among the residents there were those who supported Euromaidan and those who later went to Anti-Maidan rallies. Already in the spring of 2014, the city was under occupation. Militants of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic captured the city council building. As a result of anti-terrorist measures, the city, which was under occupation for a month, was liberated.

These events defined the future of Mariupol. Currently, more and more Mariupol residents identify with the pro-Ukrainian vector of social development, but there were also those who were waiting for the return of “Soviet life”. During this short period, from 2014 to 2022, Mariupol received many immigrants from the entire Donetsk region who wanted to live in free Ukrainian territory. Life in the city quickly began to recover. At the same time, the development of civil society began, thanks to international organizations and foundations, and people realized what power they have when they unite. The people of Mariupol became interested in democratic tools of influence on local authorities.