25.07.2024

Cities4Cities: Municipal partnerships with Ukraine help to build more resilient future in Europe

Photo from Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin, where a decisive role of local governance and partnerships in recovery of Ukraine was underlined. In the photo Mayor of Lviv Andriy Sadovyi signs a cooperation agreement with Lithuanian and German partners to support the UNBROKEN national rehabilitation center in Lviv

In response to the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, numerous European municipalities have taken a stand in solidarity with Ukraine, forging partnerships with Ukrainian municipalities. In response to this need, the initiative Cities4Cities | United4Ukraine, co-organised by Swedish association of local and regional authorities (SALAR International), cities of Lviv, Sindelfingen and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, was born. In just two years, we have established over 50 active partnerships.

Starting with direct and transparent humanitarian support to Ukrainian people in times of crisis, municipal partnerships has now transformed into building long term relations – implementing joint EU projects, development of business ties and relations between medical, cultural and educational institutions, sharing experience and building people to people relations.

Finding a partner in Ukraine is now easier than ever. Simply visit the Cities4Cities portal to research Ukrainian municipalities seeking EU partners. The initiative also facilitates matchmaking, interpretation, and the identification of potential cooperation areas and funding sources.

This helps not only Ukraine to recover and integrate in the EU, but also the EU to become more resilient, by exploring Ukrainian experience of crisis management, civil defence, rehabilitation and resocialization, development of volunteer movements and combating malign information campaigns. Municipal partnerships also often involve Ukrainian refugees in the EU into cooperation projects and ensure their better integration in the communities they currently live in.

Join the Cities4Cities international network today!
We now include 50 municipalities from Sweden, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Poland and Moldova.