On 22 June 2017, a joint delegation from ALDA, the City of Gdańsk (Poland), the Local Democracy Agency of the Dnipropetrovsk Region (Ukraine), and ORU Fogar visited Mariupol, in eastern Ukraine.
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The meeting was an occasion to gather with representatives of the City Council and local civil society organizations to discuss the possibility of establishing a Local Democracy Agency (LDA) in the city of Mariupol.
Stepan Mahsma Grigorievich, Secretary of Mariupol City Council, warmly welcomed the delegation presenting the strategy of the city for the upcoming years, which is axed on three key concepts – strong, smart, inspiring Mariupol. The objective of the city is pretty ambitious: fighting emigration, transforming economy, and making the community a more liveable place for its citizens. In brief, restarting Ukraine’s Renaissance in Mariupol.
Antonella Valmorbida, Secretary General of ALDA, and Anzhelika Pylypenko, Delegate of the LDA of Dnipropetrovsk Region, illustrated the specificities of ALDA and of the LDAs to the representatives of the Council and of active CSOs, as well as the participants from the CSOs had the opportunity to explain their activities.
Following the meeting at the City Council, the delegation visited the National Police headquarter in Mariupol, which has recently implemented a project called “Secure city” installing extremely high resolution cameras, organizing patrols and a call centre for citizens to report incidents, thus increasing the safety of the whole area.
Two particularly active CSOs also invited the delegation to visit their premises, respectively Vezha, an association focused on transparency and active citizenship, headquartered in the symbol of the city – the former water pumping tower, which they are in the process of requalifying to transform it into a multifunctional centre; and the Mariupol Development Fund, created to bridge private companies and their corporate social responsibility initiatives, with communities. The Fund runs a number of initiative, and collaborated to craft the strategy 2021 for the city.
The mission was also the occasion to further strengthen cooperation between the cities of Mariupol and Gdańsk, which have signed a MoU for cooperation. Three representatives of Gdańsk were present – Maciej Buczkowski, Head of Mayor’s Office; Anna Kieturakis, in charge of International Relations; and Marek Bonisławski, Mayor’s Assistant.
The presence of Carles Llorens, Secretary General of ORU Fogar (United Regions Organization), was key to bringing in a regional component, as well as to deepen the cooperation with ALDA in light of the signature of a MoU.
The delegation was impressed with the fantastic organization of the visit, as well as with the strong pro-European feeling of all participants, and of their competences and vision. Shortly, further steps towards the establishment of the LDA will take place: a meeting will be organized in Gdańsk in September, gathering the hosting city of Mariupol, the future lead partner – the city of Gdańsk, and other local and international partners.
On 22 June 2017, a joint delegation from ALDA, the City of Gdańsk (Poland), the Local Democracy Agency of the Dnipropetrovsk Region (Ukraine), and ORU Fogar visited Mariupol, in eastern Ukraine.
***
The meeting was an occasion to gather with representatives of the City Council and local civil society organizations to discuss the possibility of establishing a Local Democracy Agency (LDA) in the city of Mariupol.
Stepan Mahsma Grigorievich, Secretary of Mariupol City Council, warmly welcomed the delegation presenting the strategy of the city for the upcoming years, which is axed on three key concepts – strong, smart, inspiring Mariupol. The objective of the city is pretty ambitious: fighting emigration, transforming economy, and making the community a more liveable place for its citizens. In brief, restarting Ukraine’s Renaissance in Mariupol.
Antonella Valmorbida, Secretary General of ALDA, and Anzhelika Pylypenko, Delegate of the LDA of Dnipropetrovsk Region, illustrated the specificities of ALDA and of the LDAs to the representatives of the Council and of active CSOs, as well as the participants from the CSOs had the opportunity to explain their activities.
Following the meeting at the City Council, the delegation visited the National Police headquarter in Mariupol, which has recently implemented a project called “Secure city” installing extremely high resolution cameras, organizing patrols and a call centre for citizens to report incidents, thus increasing the safety of the whole area.
Two particularly active CSOs also invited the delegation to visit their premises, respectively Vezha, an association focused on transparency and active citizenship, headquartered in the symbol of the city – the former water pumping tower, which they are in the process of requalifying to transform it into a multifunctional centre; and the Mariupol Development Fund, created to bridge private companies and their corporate social responsibility initiatives, with communities. The Fund runs a number of initiative, and collaborated to craft the strategy 2021 for the city.
The mission was also the occasion to further strengthen cooperation between the cities of Mariupol and Gdańsk, which have signed a MoU for cooperation. Three representatives of Gdańsk were present – Maciej Buczkowski, Head of Mayor’s Office; Anna Kieturakis, in charge of International Relations; and Marek Bonisławski, Mayor’s Assistant.
The presence of Carles Llorens, Secretary General of ORU Fogar (United Regions Organization), was key to bringing in a regional component, as well as to deepen the cooperation with ALDA in light of the signature of a MoU.
The delegation was impressed with the fantastic organization of the visit, as well as with the strong pro-European feeling of all participants, and of their competences and vision. Shortly, further steps towards the establishment of the LDA will take place: a meeting will be organized in Gdańsk in September, gathering the hosting city of Mariupol, the future lead partner – the city of Gdańsk, and other local and international partners.