Reconnecting with members and partners in Ukraine: Bucha and Mariupol State University are ready to become ALDA Members

Focus on the flagship initiative:

strengthening Local Democracy Agencies in Ukraine
#westandwithukraine

No one should be left behind, especially under war circumstances. The role of the civil society and local authorities in building peace, reconstruction and counterbalancing the atrocities caused by the Russian invasion is fundamental. Institutions, at the same time, should also work in cooperation among each other and together with the representatives of the local communities to be resilient in this war.

ALDA is working exactly to achieve this aim: bridging institutions and CSOs together to create a network of stakeholders that will reconstruct Ukraine, day by day. Benefitting from the deep knowledge of Ukrainian society, and from the initiatives already implemented with both LDA Dnipro and LDA Mariupol, during the latest mission to Ukraine Ms. Valmorbida – ALDA Secretary General; Mr. Coica – Eastern Partnership Coordinator; and Mr. Ostrowski, in charge of the development of the LDAs in Ukraine, met different stakeholders with whom further co-create a path for reconstruction and resilience in Ukraine.

“We visited Bucha, and the city Mayor, Mr. Fedoruk, expressed the interest in becoming member of ALDA” stated Ms. Valmorbida.

“Bucha is ready to become not only a member of the Association, but also to open an office in the city” –

Mr. Anatoliy Fedoru Mayor of Bucha

Moreover, the mission allowed the ALDA Delegation to reconnect with Ms. Lomakina – Representative of LDA Mariupol, and other stakeholders like the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The latter was among the main promoter of the trainings, developed within the programme “Platform for Good Governance and Environmental Protection”* and delivered by Ms. Valmorbida, back in 2021.

The bond with the city of Mariupol is profound, long, and so enriching that the Mariupol State University has also started the process to become an ALDA Member. Visited during the February Mission, the University, now located in Kyiv clearly due to war, not only is providing support to students but it is also hosting the LDA itself. The Association cannot be more enthusiastic of its cooperation with Ukrainian Local Authorities and Universities. The team also had the chance to meet again the Mayor of Mariupol, Vadim Boichenko.

In addition, ALDA Delegation met Mr. Sergey Chernov, President Ukrainian Association of District and Regional Councils with whom they discussed:

ALDA’s activities in Ukraine and determining priorities in providing assistance to Ukrainian local self-government;
The roadmap of cooperation in engaging local governments of EU countries to support Ukraine;
Possibilities to further openings of ALDA representative offices in Kharkiv and other regions of Ukraine.

Finally, crucial meetings took place at the Polish, Italian and French Embassies thus to echo the voices of people living in Ukraine, while, at the same time, contributing to cooperation with governmental institutions.

“We are a global alliance of local authorities and civil society to support good local governance and we stand with Ukraine” concluded ALDA Secretary General, testifying the endless commitment of the Association for Ukraine, for peace and democracy.

This week the commitment continues with the organisation of the LDA Mariupol partners meeting in Gdansk (Poland) on 24 February 2022. ALDA calls for more partners to join the initiative:

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*Programme financed by UNDP in Ukraine

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