Ukraine
Lidingö – Slavuta, Ukraine
Resilient Education: Empowering Democracy Through Critical Thinking The partnership between Lidingö and Slavuta focuses on resilient education, aiming to strengthen local democracy through critical thinking among youth. With the backdrop of war and societal challenges, the project emphasizes inclusive, accessible, and democracy-oriented education to strengthen social cohesion and long-term societal resilience. Both municipalities focus on…
Västerås – Shatsk, Ukraine
Project: From Waste to Resource The project “From Waste to Resource” adresses waste management and circular economy, environmental education and how to communicate waste management issues to children from 5 to 6 in a kindergarten and youths from 7-17 in three pilot schools in the rural area. In Ukraine, there is great knowledge and experience…
Strengthening Local Resilience through Democracy – Lessons from Ukrainian Municipalities
What role does local democracy play in times of crisis? This question has been at the heart of ICLD’s recent research collaboration with the Kyiv School of Economics, exploring how Ukrainian municipalities have responded to the profound challenges of war. Since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, local self-governments in Ukraine have demonstrated that…
Internally displaced persons integration in Ukraine
With over 4.6 million registered IDPs, Ukraine’s approach provides valuable insights into rapid crisis response, community integration, and participatory governance. Innovative local initiatives offer lessons in empowering displaced people to participate in local decision-making and strengthen societal resilience. Studying these approaches and practices can help in shaping global strategies for managing displacement and fostering social…
The tangible value of local democracy
How collaborative local governance supports crisis response in Ukraine amid the Russian full-scale invasion. This brief highlights how collaborative local governance aids Ukrainian communities in responding to crises caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion and boosts societal resilience. Co-production between local governments, residents, nonprofits, and businesses has led to practical solutions for challenges like internal displacement.…
Vitalii – Champion of Local Democracy
Vitalii Bielobrov is Deputy Mayor of the ukrainian city Kherson, one of the cities that has suffered and continues to suffer greatly from the Russian invasion. Despite the hardships, the residents show remarkable resilience and solidarity. Many choose to stay, support one another, and continue fighting for their city. “In difficult times, you must have a…
Västerås – Shatsk, Ukraine
Project: A Safer Future for Children The project “A safer future for children” seeks to address the problem of insufficient awareness and capacity to protect and fulfill children’s rights in rural and small communities, particularly in the context of war and crises. This issue affects community resilience and children’s access to education, safety, and psychological…
Trollhättan – Fastiv, Ukraine
EU-integration through Youth Inclusion The partnership between Trollhättan and Fastiv are in the early phase of their project. After receiving approval for their application, the municipalities began planning their activities with a strong focus on youth participation and community inclusion. At its core, the project targets young people in vulnerable contexts—rural youth in Ukraine and,…
Umeå and Kherson
Citizen Dialogue for Inclusive Reconstruction The partnership between Umeå and Kherson focuses on advancing democratic processes through inclusive urban planning, with citizen dialogue as a central pillar. A key achievement has been the development of an open-source digital tool that allows citizens to explore city maps and submit feedback directly on planned development initiatives. While…
Ronneby and Ternopil
Sustainable Water Management through Local Expertise and Community Inclusion The partnership between Ronneby and Ternopil focuses on sustainable water management, particularly access to clean water and stormwater handling—critical components of local democratic resilience and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Recognizing the complexity of these issues, both municipalities have involved experts within their local administrations.…
