Brovary and Jena: Strategic Partnership in War and After Victory

Brovary and the German city of Jena continue to deepen their partnership, share experiences and expand cooperation amid the ongoing war. During a meeting between Brovary Mayor Ihor Sapozhko and the mayor of Jena's German twin city, Thomas Nitsche, the key areas of cooperation between the cities, humanitarian aid and prospects for expanding the partnership were discussed, reports UNN correspondent.

During the talks, video of which is available on the website of the Brovary City Council, Ihor Sapozhko thanked the German partners for their support of the Ukrainian city and congratulated the mayor of Jena on his re-election. "I am grateful that even in such a difficult time you support us and help us develop the community," he said.

The parties discussed the results of the re-signing of the agreement between the cities and Brovary's active participation in international funding programs. The mayor of Brovary emphasized the importance of cultural and educational exchanges that help strengthen ties between communities. New visits of Ukrainian delegations are planned for 2025, as well as programs for children's health improvement, sports events, and cultural events.

The mayor of Jena, Thomas Nitsche, emphasized that the community of the German twin city supports cooperation with Brovary and plans to raise the level of partnership to the format of solidarity in the future. "After the war is over, we can make our relations even more formalized and strengthen our support for Ukraine at the institutional level," he said.

One of the most important areas of support for the Brovary community has been the financing of critical needs. According to Thomas Nitsche, the possibility of allocating funds for the purchase of medical equipment for the hospital in Brovary under the Engagement Global small and medium-sized grants project is already being considered. There are also plans to help the city's schools under this program.

The mayor of Brovary expressed his gratitude for this initiative, emphasizing that even small grants help to solve the urgent problems of the community. He also expressed hope that Jena representatives will have more time during their upcoming visit to Brovary in May to see the city's development with their own eyes.

The issue of the security situation in the communities and the possibilities of cooperation with the Jena police was also raised. "We understand that we will face many challenges after the war, including social adaptation of the military, crime prevention and public order. It is important for us to learn from the experience of your law enforcement agencies," emphasized the mayor of Brovary.

Another important aspect of the meeting was the issue of the Ukrainian community in Jena. Thomas Nitsche said that since the first days of the war, it has been actively working to mobilize aid for Ukraine. It was through this initiative that the Jena-UA association was created, which continues to promote the development of ties between the cities.

At the end of the meeting, the parties expressed their readiness to continue joint initiatives and organize exchanges between the communities. "Human contact is of great importance. It is meetings like ours today that help build trust and mutual understanding," said the Mayor of Jena.

A partnership that runs from 2022

Brovary and the German cities of Jena and Erlangen (Brovary community also cooperates with this city) continue to strengthen their partnership, which began in the summer of 2022. Since then, the cooperation has covered a wide range of areas: from the supply of medical equipment to educational exchanges and humanitarian aid.

In November 2022, with the support of Jena, Erlangen and the German Engagement Global, equipment worth more than UAH 3.9 million was purchased for the Brovary hospital. In the winter of 2023, the community received a fan heater and a generator from Jena to maintain power supply. In March of the same year, the cities officially cemented their partnership with a solidarity agreement.

June 2023 was a landmark year for the Brovary delegation's visit to Germany, where Ukrainians learned about the functioning of utilities and educational institutions. In the fall of 2023, the partnership continued to expand: in October, the city of Jena donated a bus to the Brovary community to transport students of the Knyazhytsky Lyceum, and on Christmas Eve, the community's children received humanitarian gifts from the residents of the German city.

The beginning of 2024 was marked by an official visit of Mayor Ihor Sapozhko and a Brovary delegation to Jena and Erlangen to discuss energy, housing, and economic development. In April, the JenaUA e.V. association was established in Jena to deepen cooperation. In the same month, five Brovary German teachers took part in an educational exchange in Jena schools, learning about local teaching methods.

In October 2024, representatives of the city of Jena, led by MP Matthias Mitt, visited Brovary, meeting with local residents and internally displaced persons in the modular town. They also visited the Brovary Hospital, where equipment purchased with the support of German partners is in operation.