Sniatyn Territorial Community

History

The first historical mention of the administrative centre of the community was recorded in the Ipatskyi Annals. The name of the administrative centre comes from the name of its owner – Voivode Kostiantyn Siroslavovych. The town was known in 1158 (in 1448 it was granted the Magdeburg rights).

Sniatyn was located on the border with Moldova, so it was there that the main customs office on the Moldovan trade route worked. Craftsmen of 15 professions lived in Sniatyn. The development of handicrafts was promoted by Armenians, and the development of agriculture was promoted by Germans who came from Bavaria, Baden, and Württemberg.

In March 1881, priest Teofil Kobrynskyi organized the first Ukrainian reading room in Sniatyn. The Sniatyn community is famous for its historical and architectural landmarks, namely: Mark Cheremshyna’s Stone Villa (1919), Town Hall, Magistrate Building (12th century), former Sokil Society Building (early 20th century).

There are tourist routes in the community, along which different neighbourhoods of the community are described and shown and which form local history excursions.

Some of the popular tourist attractions of the community include:

• Holy Ascension Church – the oldest and only landmark with an authentic wooden architecture;
• Salon of master of exquisite hats Mrs. Paliuchkova (the best milliner of Sniatyn lived there – a maker of exclusive hats, whom everyone respectfully called “Mrs. Palichkova”);
• Estates of rich people (Kryshtafovych and Yaruzelskyi). The grave of Stepan Hryhorovych, the founder of the first school in Halychyna (Zaluchchia village);
• Literary and memorial museum of Vasyl Stefanyk (Rusiv village).

Economy and Community

Production specialization in the community has an agrarian-industrial nature. The branches of the economy include agriculture encompassing a large part of the output of goods and services.

Main areas of specialization: agriculture, construction, production of building materials, light industry, woodworking.

The main types of production: production of foods, production of livestock products (meat, milk, eggs), production of building materials (bricks, metal tiles), textile products, woodworking (wooden blanks).

The main areas in agricultural production are crop and animal husbandry.

The largest industrial enterprise in the community, in terms of outputs, is an enterprise producing metal tiles.

Alternative energy is developing; thanks to private entrepreneurs, three units of solar power plants have been built in the community.

The education sector is working efficiently. There are 17 schools and 21 kindergartens in the community. Various contests are systematically held, where young people are involved in the revival of folk traditions.

There are 2 out-of-school institutions working in the territory of the community.

At the Sniatyn-based Sokil centre, students get education and skills in various areas outside of school. In addition, various contests are held where children can show their talents and win their awards.

There is a Children and Youth Sports School in the Sniatyn Urban Territorial Community; classes are held in the following sports: boxing, volleyball, football, tennis, swimming and jiu-jitsu.

Classes are organized there by 11 coaches who train teams of children for district and regional competitions. In addition, there is a municipal stadium and a sports complex, football pitches where volleyball and football competitions are held.

In 2022, thanks to the perseverance of young people and good mentoring, there were victories in various championships, in particular, in football, swimming, and volleyball.

The community has an inclusive resource centre for the development of children with disabilities. Various specialists work with children in order to help each child integrate into society.

The cultural sphere of the community is also widely developing. There are libraries, museums, children’s music and art schools, a municipal culture centre.

Various local festivals are held. The community is famous for its Sich folk amateur male vocal quartet, which participates in national and international competitions, and has been repeatedly invited to festivals held in the Republic of Poland and Bulgaria.

The health care system is represented by 2 institutions.

A charitable grant was implemented at the Sniatyn primary health care centre, which implied repairs of the conference hall and its arrangement in the style of an educational and training centre. In addition, a grant project from USAID was implemented.

Community and War

As the military aggression began, the Sniatyn community has not remained inactive and is helping the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Having accumulated its efforts and funds, as well as with the support of other organizations, assistance was provided to hundreds of military personnel, in particular: military ammunition, cars, medicines, military clothing, hygiene products, and foods. Various assistance and support is also provided to the families of military personnel.

In addition, in this difficult period, the Sniatyn Town Council helps the civilian population relocated to the Sniatyn community from the war zone, which includes clothing, hygiene products, foods, and consultations in various areas.

There are shelters for internally displaced persons. A total of about 3,500 people have found shelter in the community since the war broke out.

In the period of martial law, 46 Points of Invincibility and warming points are functioning in the community, where every person can seek help, keep warm, and get access to communication.

The Sniatyn Urban Territorial Community cooperates with various international and charitable organizations, as a result of which many important projects were implemented during the war to support internally displaced persons.

From the first days of the full-scale invasion, everyone in the rear tried to do something to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The culinary front became one of the main ones in the community. The residents of the Sniatyn community once again showed their solidarity.

In each settlement, women, housewives, cooks and bakers made dumplings, cooked borsch, cabbage rolls, porridge, meat products, donuts, pancakes, cookies and many other delicious dishes for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The Sniatyn community ladies also rallied to help the Ukrainian defenders. At first, cabbage rolls and borsch were cooked. Later they started baking cookies. At first, women brought food from home, the community residents and caring people helped as well. Subsequently, the flour for baking was purchased by the Sniatyn Town Council.

Women meet twice a week. Four types of cookies are baked. Every week, our defenders on the front receive fragrant homemade pastries.

Being a volunteer is an important and responsible mission that has become a way of life for the Sniatyn community volunteers. At a time when the country is in a difficult situation, volunteers are doing great things.

That is how one of the leaders of the volunteer organization received a worthy recognition and Golden Heart award from the President of Ukraine. In addition, the Sniatyn community volunteers received an honorary badge “For the Aid to the Army”.

Today, everyone helps in the fight against the enemy, and any work aimed at the victory is important.

Ukrainian defenders are supported by the employees of the Sniatyn Town Council. The employees of the economy department of the Sniatyn Town Council make camouflage nets with their own hands and hand them over to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, using a variety of weaving techniques, because even the smallest manifestation of care can support their fighting spirit.

On the initiative of the mayor, all the structural units have repeatedly transferred one day’s earnings to a charity fund, the funds from which were used to purchase uniforms and warm clothing for the territorial defence units, as well as transport.

Funds are raised to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine during charity tournaments. The team of young football players of the Sniatyn Children’s and Youth School won first prize in football among boys born in 2008-2009, which was held in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and on the occasion of the Independence Day of Ukraine. In addition, the community organized charity swimming tournaments in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, various festivals, where all funds were transferred for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

People of the Community

The Sniatyn Urban Territorial Community is headed by its mayor Anatolii Shumko. He was elected for the first time in November 2010 and is the current head of the community, has more than 10 years of experience in local self-government bodies.

Thanks to hard work and devotion to the Ukrainian people, many economic development projects have been implemented in the community.

Thanks to the initiative of the mayor, a new family-type outpatient clinic was built and opened in the village of Zadubrivtsi, new premises for a family outpatient clinic were found and equipped in the town of Sniatyn.

After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by russian troops began, the Sniatyn community has hospitably provided shelter to many refugees. Those who had to flee the war included world-famous Ukrainian powerlifting athletes Kostiantyn Musiienko (72 records) and Dariia Rusanenko (14 records). In April 2022, the married couple moved to the Sniatyn community from Druzhkivka in the Donetsk Region.

Mayor Anatolii Shumko initiated a meeting with the athletes, thanked them for their perseverance, dedication to sports, and gave letters of thanks for their high achievements, their significant contribution to the development and popularization of powerlifting, wished the champions to continue to glorify our state under the flag of Ukraine.

Development Strategy

A development strategy is being elaborated and is planned to be approved in late 2023. The main objectives of development of the community settlements include:

• repairs of the road surface, outdoor lighting, administrative premises, sports and playgrounds, social infrastructure taking into account barrier-free space;
• reconstruction of sewage and water supply networks;
• arrangement and maintenance of cemeteries;
• arrangement of rest areas;
• implementation of energy efficiency, energy supply, thermal modernization of the community’s buildings;
• reconstruction of the solid waste landfill.

List of Sources

Official website of the Sniatyn Town Council

Official Facebook page

Official website of the Sniatyn Primary Healthcare Centre