Founded in the 12-th century, Chernivtsi is one of the oldest cities in Ukraine. It is a fascinating mix of all the different cultures that have converged on the region: Ukrainian, Jewish, Romanian, German, Polish, and later – Russian. Otto von Hapsburg in his work called “Chernivtsi, or What it Means to be Tolerant” described the picture of an ideal town, a home to multiethnic and multi-religious citizens. “In Chernivtsi, there was a synthesis of national consciousness and of something higher… so to speak, European attitude. Here, it was proved that various peoples… could be united in the framework of common culture…” he wrote.