Visit of the delegation from the twin city of Würzburg
A delegation from the city of Würzburg (Federal Republic of Germany), with which a twin-city agreement was signed in 2024, arrived in Lutsk. During the period of full-scale war, this is already the second visit by representatives of the German city, which since the beginning of russian aggression has provided the Lutsk community with diverse humanitarian assistance — both financial and in the form of equipment and special machinery.
In particular, at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Würzburg transferred a charitable financial aid of €100,000 to the account of the municipal enterprise “Lutskvodokanal” without hesitation. In agreement with German partners, the funds were used to pay for services organizing hot meals for internally displaced persons living in the Lutsk City Territorial Community.
In 2025, Würzburg donated a specialized vehicle for transporting people with disabilities (capacity for 8 passengers), as well as 8 generators with a 2.5 kW heating function, three used neurological devices of the Vingmed and Myoscript brands, more than 100 used hospital and care beds, mattresses, furniture, clothing, and €6,800 in charitable funds from the Würzburg community.
Welcoming the German delegation led by Mayor of Würzburg Martin Heilig, Lutsk City Mayor Ihor Polishchuk first expressed gratitude for the support and assistance provided, and for the fact that during this time Würzburg stands together with the Lutsk community. “This is very valuable for us both materially and in terms of understanding that in such a difficult period we are not alone — we have friends who care about us,” he emphasized.
Ihor Polishchuk noted that Lutsk is a city with a long history and at the same time a modern one. “We strive to develop it in a balanced way, to preserve our historical and cultural heritage while also introducing innovative technologies, new ideas, and approaches to solving urban problems. Today we will visit facilities created with the assistance of the German government, see sites being developed within international grant programs, and get acquainted with the history of our city and its cultural institutions,” he said.
“We are very grateful for your warm welcome. We are glad that we were able to come to Lutsk. This is my first trip abroad as mayor of our city and my first trip to Ukraine. It is very important for me to convey greetings from the residents of Würzburg and to express our solidarity and support for your city. Lutsk and Würzburg are already good partners, so we will continue working to develop this cooperation further,” said Martin Heilig, Mayor of Würzburg.
The delegation visited the solid waste landfill in the village of Bryshche, where they inspected the filtrate treatment station established within the project “Joint search for new solutions in municipal services: organic waste management in Lutsk City Territorial Community.” There are only three such stations in Ukraine — in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Lutsk. The project was implemented in partnership with the Lippe District (Germany).
The delegation members also reviewed the progress of the international project “Wild life in a big city: protection and promotion of wild nature and biodiversity in Lutsk and Rzeszów.” The grant project is being implemented under the Interreg NEXT Poland–Ukraine 2021–2027 Program and involves the creation of a nature park on the banks of the Styr River. Construction works are currently underway. The project also includes educational and informational components.
In addition, the delegation visited the Lutsk Clinical Maternity Hospital, which last year implemented the grant project “Rays of Life: Hysteroscopy for a Healthy Future in Lutsk,” funded by the German government. The project budget is €50,000, with Würzburg acting as the main partner and contributing €5,000 of its own funds.
Within the grant, a laparoscopic tower with additional equipment and consumables was purchased, along with vitamin sachets, informational stickers. Electronic posters about women’s health care were distributed on social media, as well as informational and promotional materials. The medical staff of the maternity hospital demonstrated the equipment to the delegation and expressed gratitude for the cooperation.
Department of Informational Work,
Department of International Cooperation and Project Activities