Delegation of the Lutsk City Council participated in the Democratic Resilience Network Conference in Umeå, Sweden
The delegation of Lutsk City Council made a working visit to Umeå (Kingdom of Sweden) and from April 7 to 10, 2025, participated in the third conference of the Democratic Resilience Network, organized by the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD). The event was held with the support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).
The conference was attended by more than 80 representatives from 13 Ukrainian and 13 Swedish municipalities, who are developing partnerships and jointly implementing projects while promoting the values of the European Union. The Lutsk City Council was represented at the event by: Vitalii Bondar, Director of the Department of Education; Anna Vintsiuk, Head of the International Cooperation and Project Activities Department; and Zaryna Datsyk, Head of the Youth Policy Division of the Youth and Sports Department.
The event format combined lectures, trainings, and educational visits.
Participants heard presentations from Jessica Rosencrantz, Minister for EU Affairs of the Government of Sweden; Johan Lilja, Secretary General of the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD); as well as representatives from Stockholm University and Umeå University. Funding opportunities for Swedish-Ukrainian projects were presented by the Swedish Institute, along with grant proposals from Swedfund for the development of feasibility studies for infrastructure projects in Ukraine. The BUILDS UP project, focused on developing universal and inclusive local design, was also discussed.
During the trainings on peer-learning approach in partnerships, Ukrainian and Swedish municipalities shared their experiences and plans for the implementation of joint projects. The Lutsk delegation, together with representatives from the Piteå municipality, presented the current state of bilateral cooperation and joint project initiatives aimed at enhancing youth civic competencies through formal and informal education.
During the educational visits, representatives of the Umeå municipality introduced participants to local school and sports infrastructure. In particular, they showcased the operations of the sports and exhibition center Nolia, which is used for daily training sessions, large-scale championships, exhibitions, and various recreational events. They also discussed the specifics of local landscape planning, taking into account gender aspects and public consultations.
The conference marked another step toward improving interaction and cooperation between Ukrainian and Swedish municipalities, as well as enhancing capacities in the area of intermunicipal cooperation. Representatives from Lutsk and Piteå discussed the implementation of joint project activities and outlined additional areas for collaboration.
International Cooperation and Project Activities Department