ALDA marked an important milestone in its continuous commitment to Ukraine during the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) 2026 in Gdańsk by officially signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine. The agreement was signed by Antonella Valmorbida, Secretary General of ALDA, and Oleksii Riabykin, Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, within the framework of the national programme “Shoulder to Shoulder: Cohesive Communities.”
The signing took place during the workshop “Shoulder to Shoulder: Cohesive Communities – Resilience through Partnership: Communities Acting Together,” a high-level event dedicated to exploring how partnerships between local authorities, civil society and international organisations can reinforce community resilience and contribute to Ukraine’s recovery and European integration.
Beyond the signing ceremony, ALDA played a central role throughout the event. Antonella Valmorbida moderated the international panel discussion, bringing together representatives of Ukrainian territorial communities alongside international local authorities and organisations to exchange experiences on local recovery, decentralised cooperation and democratic resilience.
Among the international speakers was Pau Rodríguez Madrid, representing the Municipality of Cubelles (Spain), together with representatives from Poland, Germany, Latvia. The discussion highlighted the value of peer-to-peer cooperation between municipalities, demonstrating how local partnerships have become one of the most effective tools to respond to the challenges generated by the war while fostering long-term sustainable development.
During her intervention, Antonella Valmorbida presented ALDA’s mission and over thirty years of experience in promoting local democracy, citizen participation and decentralised cooperation across Europe and neighbouring regions. She also illustrated the Association’s work in Ukraine through its network of Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs) and its extensive collaboration with municipalities, civil society organisations and institutional partners.
A particular focus was placed on ALDA’s contribution to the “Shoulder to Shoulder” initiative. Leveraging its broad European network, the Association has played a key role in facilitating partnerships between European and Ukrainian municipalities, creating long-term cooperation frameworks that support capacity building, knowledge exchange and community resilience.
Among the partnerships facilitated by ALDA are those between the Municipality of Zugliano (Italy) and the Yavornytska and Kalush Territorial Communities; the Municipality of Thiene (Italy) and the Shevchenkivska and Korosten Territorial Communities; the Municipality of Cubelles (Spain) and the Novhorod-Siverskyi City Council and Yahotyn City Council; the Municipality of Bergamo (Italy) with the cities of Chernivtsi and Zaporizhzhia; and the Municipality of Bonate Sopra (Italy) with both the Zolochiv Territorial Community (Kharkiv Oblast) and the Zolochiv Territorial Community (Lviv Oblast).
These collaborations demonstrate how decentralised cooperation enables municipalities to exchange expertise, develop joint initiatives and strengthen local governance, transforming solidarity into concrete action for Ukraine’s recovery.
The Memorandum of Understanding signed during the workshop represents a significant step forward in institutionalising this cooperation. It establishes a strategic framework between ALDA and the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, aimed at strengthening democratic governance, community resilience, social cohesion and participatory recovery processes.
Through the agreement, ALDA formally becomes a strategic partner of the national “Shoulder to Shoulder: Cohesive Communities” programme, contributing its expertise in local democracy and its extensive European network to connect Ukrainian communities with municipalities, regions and local governance stakeholders across Europe.
The Memorandum identifies several priority areas for cooperation, including strengthening local democracy and citizen participation, supporting inclusive governance and community-led recovery, facilitating peer-to-peer partnerships between municipalities, delivering capacity-building activities for local authorities and civil society organisations, promoting the exchange of knowledge and good practices, and supporting initiatives that contribute to Ukraine’s democratic transformation and European integration. It also recognises the strategic role of Local Democracy Agencies as long-term mechanisms for fostering resilient, democratic and cohesive communities.
The agreement further provides the basis for organising joint events, study visits, technical exchanges, networking initiatives, communication activities and future collaborative projects. Although it does not establish financial obligations, it creates a long-term institutional framework for cooperation, remaining valid for an initial period of three years with automatic renewal.
The workshop also featured presentations from Ukrainian territorial communities, showcasing practical examples of resilience developed in response to the challenges of war. Participants shared innovative experiences in areas such as waste management, cultural diplomacy, intermunicipal cooperation and community protection, demonstrating how local leadership and international partnerships can generate tangible solutions for citizens.
For ALDA, the signing of this Memorandum is more than a formal agreement. It recognises the Association’s long-standing contribution to supporting Ukrainian local authorities and civil society while opening a new chapter of structured cooperation with the Ministry. By combining local expertise, international partnerships and democratic values, ALDA will continue to accompany Ukrainian communities in their recovery, strengthening resilient local governance and fostering cooperation between communities across Europe.
As Ukraine advances on its path towards recovery and European integration, ALDA remains committed to ensuring that reconstruction is built not only through infrastructure and investment, but also through empowered local authorities, active citizens and lasting partnerships founded on solidarity, participation and democracy.