International cooperation of Ukrainian communities with municipalities of other countries is not only material assistance, which is critical in the conditions of war, but also the exchange of experience, the involvement of new practices, the rehabilitation of children of servicemen and internally displaced persons, as well as the expansion of contacts to attract investments. This was told to UNN by the Association of Ukrainian Cities.
Cooperation with municipalities of other countries is very important. This is not only material assistance that Ukrainian communities currently need. This is an exchange of experience, obtaining new practices, assistance in the rehabilitation of children of military personnel and IDPs, additional connections to attract investments in communities. And it is also the receipt by foreign communities, citizens of other countries, of information about Ukraine, our work through horizontal connections. This is the arrival of representatives of other countries in Ukraine and the development of support for Ukraine in the societies of other countries, which is very necessary today for the continuation of support for Ukraine by the democratic world
At the same time, they recalled that in 2024, new legislative norms came into force that regulate the international cooperation of communities. From now on, all partnerships must be agreed with the Ministry of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine and registered in accordance with the new law. In addition, the Association added that the departure of local government representatives abroad is currently significantly complicated, even if they are not subject to military service.
"Artificially created barriers significantly complicate the development of cooperation, which depends solely on the officials of the communities themselves. As they can, so they find and develop partnerships. The state does not help in this. But the Association of Ukrainian Cities helps, which systematically engages in the search for partners for communities, including with the support of the U-Lead project, and since 2022 has provided 36 international inter-municipal partnerships", the Association added.
Additionally
One of the best examples of effective cooperation with foreign twin cities is Brovary - the largest satellite city of the Ukrainian capital. The Brovary community has established partnerships with the following cities: Fontenay-sous-Bois (France), Hengyang (China), Zhanjiang (China), Rockford (USA), Sillamäe (Estonia), Krasnicki County (Poland), Gniezno County (Poland), Grodzisk County (Poland), Tonala (Mexico), Santa Marinella (Italy).
After the full-scale invasion of Russia in Ukraine, in 2022, the German cities of Erlangen and Jena joined the list. It was they who became the main support for the Brovary community during the full-scale war.
Cooperation between Brovary, Jena and Erlangen covered a wide range of areas: from the supply of medical equipment to educational exchanges and humanitarian aid.
As Brovary Mayor Ihor Sapozhko said, in November 2022, with the support of Jena, Erlangen and the German society Engagement Global, equipment worth more than 3.9 million UAH was purchased for the Brovary hospital. In the winter of 2023, the community received a heater and a generator from Jena to support the power supply. In March of the same year, the cities officially formalized the partnership with a solidarity agreement.
June 2023 became a landmark thanks to the visit of the Brovary delegation to Germany, where Ukrainians got acquainted with the functioning of utilities and educational institutions. In the fall of 2023, the partnership continued to expand: in October, the city of Jena transferred a bus to the Brovary community for transporting students of the Knyazhytsky Lyceum, and before Christmas, the children of the community received humanitarian gifts from the residents of the German city.
The beginning of 2024 was marked by the official visit of Mayor Ihor Sapozhko and the Brovary delegation to Jena and Erlangen, where issues of energy, housing construction and economic development were discussed. In April, an association "JenaUA e.V." was created in Jena to deepen cooperation. That same month, five Brovary German language teachers underwent an educational exchange in Jena schools, getting acquainted with local teaching methods.
In October 2024, representatives of the city of Jena, led by deputy Matthias Mieth, visited Brovary, meeting with local residents and internally displaced persons in a modular town. They also visited the Brovary Hospital, where equipment purchased with the support of German partners is operating.
Erlangen has accepted more than 1,600 refugees from Ukraine, including residents of Brovary, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
In addition to humanitarian aid, cultural exchange is also developing. A number of educational initiatives have been organized, including the exchange of photographs between schoolchildren and joint sports events.
The municipal sphere is also in the spotlight. In August 2023, an online meeting of representatives of water supply enterprises of both cities took place, which became the first step towards technical cooperation.
Thus, the partnership between the cities continues to develop and bring concrete results in various spheres of community life.