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REVAULT Martin
In Latest, United Cities and Local Governments

UCLG World Congress 

South Korea - News Section

Come to Daejeon and take part in the largest gathering of local leaders!

Take part in the largest gathering of mayors, presidents of associations, local elected officers, and practitioners from around the world, from 10 to 14 October 2022 in Daejeon (South Korea).

Convened by United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and for the first time hybrid, the World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders and World Congress will be the heart of the municipal movement with thousands of elected officials, members of the civil society, partners and other stakeholders.  

In 2022, the Congress’ programme will be based around different tracks, namely the “Local Action” track, the “Town Hall” track, the “Statutory” track, the “Assembly” track and the “Daejeon” track. Those will echo the components of the “Power of We”, the power of the municipal movement to break through as one.

Daejeon will also allow you to experience the culture, community, and public service associated with digital technology.

For more information on the Congress and how to register, click here. Please note that early bird registration ends on 31 August. Also make sure to sign up here for the latest news leading up to Daejeon 2022.

TARAN Stanislav
In Bridges of Trust, Local Insights, Projects and Programmes

Summer camp for Ukraine

Bridges of Trust Branding - News 2024

The summer camp organised by Siauliai District municipality impressed the children of Dolyna municipality

On 8 August, the 10-day summer camp for Dolyna Municipality (Ukraine), organised by the Šiauliai District Municipality, came to an end. 36 children from Dolyna municipality, accompanied by 4 adult educators, camped in a children’s summer camp near Lake Elongatis in Švenčionys district and by the sea in Melnragė.

Children from Dolyna municipality camped from 29 July to 5 August in the “Sunny Krantas” camp near Lake Pailgio in Švenčionys district. Here, the Ukrainians, together with other campers, participated in various activities, sports competitions and educational activities. As many of the children were visiting Lithuania for the first time, their camp manager Greta organised study trips to Trakai, Kernave and Vilnius for the Dolyna delegation. For three more days, the Ukrainians camped by the sea in Melnragė, enjoyed the beautiful beaches of the Baltic Sea and visited Klaipeda. On the way from the camp in Švenčionys district to the camp on the seaside in Melnragė, the Ukrainians went to Šiauliai district – they really wanted to see the most beautiful and famous places in Šiauliai district as well as meet its leaders.

First of all, the Ukrainian bus went to visit the world-famous Hill of Crosses, located in the Šiauliai district. Impressed and surprised by one of the most famous and visited sacred places in Lithuania, the Ukrainians erected a cross on the Hill of Crosses for Ukraine to win the war. In this delegation were children whose parents were fighting or had died in the brutal war that was ravaging their country.

The Ukrainians came to Kuršėnai, to Laurynas Ivinskis Square, wearing traditional national clothes – “vyšyvankas”. The children from the town of Dolyna and their educators Victor Yatskiv, Olha Listkova, Iryna Krekhovetska, Mariana Boberska were welcomed by the mayor of the Šiauliai district municipality Antanas Bezaras, his deputy Česlovas Spartas and his deputy Rita Žadeikytė.
Mayor Antanas Bezaras spoke briefly about the Šiauliai district, the guests presented the mayor with their drawings on the theme of friendship between Ukraine and Lithuania, which they created during their stay in the “Saules Bank” camp.

The guests were escorted to the Kuršėnai manor by taking one of the longest pedestrian bridges in Lithuania, where the history of the town of Kuršėnai was told, traditional “Kuršėnian” sweets and herbal tea were enjoyed.

Dolyna’s children loved the Kuršėnai manor, and especially the welcoming owners of the manor, Alina Milašienė and Lina Šukienė, who not only welcomed the guests, fed them, but also told the history of the town and the Kuršėnai manor. To the hostesses, the Ukrainians sang Ukrainian songs and the anthem of the town of Dolyna as a token of their thanks.

After their stay in Kuršėnai, the guests travelled to Klaipeda, Melnragė. In Klaipeda, activities and sightseeing tours were organised for them. On 8 August, the guests returned to Dolyna. This trip for the children of Dolyna municipality is a gift from the Šiauliai District Municipality. The Municipal Council of Šiauliai District approved the cooperation between the municipalities of Šiauliai District and the town of Dolyna. On 12 July, the mayor of the Šiauliai district municipality, Antanas Bezaras, mandated by his municipal council, signed a cooperation agreement with Ivan Dyriv, mayor representing the Dolyna municipal council. The mayors of the two municipalities, at the signing of the contract, expressed their satisfaction with the fact that, even before the contract was signed, the municipalities of Šiauliai and Dolyna district were already connected by fraternal ties, which were established in autumn 2021 when they started to participate in the “Bridges of Trust” project.

The leaders of Dolyna Municipality stated that the significant humanitarian support of Šiauliai District Municipality and farmer Česlovas Karbauskis, contributing 1000 euros to the Gruzdžiai dispensary, for a total of more than 100,000 euros is an important sign of sincere friendship and an example to follow.

The Šiauliai District Municipality pays great attention to children’s summer recreation – this year financial support was allocated to fund no less than 16 children’s summer camp and summer recreation projects.

The summer school has been supported by the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, a multi-donor action of the European Union and its member states (Germany, Sweden, Poland, Denmark, Estonia and Slovenia).

Šiauliai district municipality information

TARAN Stanislav
In Bridges of Trust, Impact community Society, Latest, Projects and Programmes, Twinning, Ukraine reconstruction

​Support for Ukraine

Ukraine flag - News section

The Luxembourg association SYVICOL launches a platform to shed light on local initiatives

What actions are Luxembourg municipalities taking to support Ukraine and its population? How can they gear up their efforts and operate within their means? The association of Luxembourg cities and municipalities, SYVICOL, provides a first set of answers to these questions, while also casting light on initiatives developed locally and on the global stage. 

Entitled “Support for Ukraine“, SYVICOL’s new platform reveals, for example, why elected officials from the city of Esch-sur-Alzette agreed to set up a twinning partnership with Stryi, a Ukrainian city located near the Polish and Slovak borders. Scrolling through the website, you will come across Ukrainescht Haus Stroossen, an initiative led by the municipality of Strassen to give Ukrainians who fled their country, a place to exchange, to spend some time and, if they want, to participate in activities.

The platform also provides municipalities with information it has access to through its relations with various international players and networks, including the CEMR. SYVICOL also collaborates with the Association of Ukrainian Cities and can establish contact between the latter and the Luxembourg municipalities that wish to do so.

Finally, the platform relays official information released by the national government and brings together in one place the contact details of several supporting NGOs.

Available in English and French, the new platform will be regularly updated.

Did you know?

Many of CEMR’s member associations have set up sections of their websites dedicated to Ukraine where you can follow their latest activities. You will find a non-comprehensive list of these sections at the bottom of this page.

BIZARRO Pedro
In Local Insights, Projects and Programmes, Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities

Residents service points to improve access to public services

Poland services - News 2022

In Rzeszow (Poland), resident service points as a tool for improving residents’ access to public services

In Poland, the city of Rzeszow set up four Residents Services Points (RSPs) in 2011. Easily attainable in shopping malls that have widespread parking capacities and are accessible to people with disabilities, RSPs intend to boost the approachability and provision of public services. In these RSPs, citizens can, for example, receive their ID cards and driving licenses, register their cars or inform themselves about local events.

The creation of RSPs was based on a participatory approach. In a survey, residents indicated their needs and expectations for such service. Once the first RSP was launched, satisfaction surveys were conducted to improve its functioning.

RSPs largely gained in popularity over the years. As such, in 2013, 20,000 cases were handled in the RSPs. In 2016, the number of administrated cases totalled 50,000. This can be explained by the high level of satisfaction of users due, among others, to the extended working time of the office, the greater availability of civil servants, the ability to handle many official topics in one dedicated place and the possibility to visit the RSPs on one’s way to everyday activities.

To learn more about this and other local best practices, check out the website of URBACT, the European territorial cooperation programme which aims to promote sustainable integrated urban development in cities all over Europe.

Since 2021, the RFSC tool is used by cities and partners of the “Global Goals for Cities” URBACT network, supporting the localisation of the SDGs across 19 European cities.

BIZARRO Pedro
In Local Insights, Projects and Programmes, Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities

Smart city strategy in Heraklion to tackle urban challenges

Smart Cities - News Section

Heraklion in Greece is implementing smart city practices through interdisciplinary cooperation

The municipality of Heraklion in Greece elaborated a strategic plan among which one pillar is “Heraklion: Smart City”. This smart city strategy aims at fully achieving the potential of the city’s resources while consolidating domains in which the city has been lacking.

Heraklion’s Smart City Strategy was built using a durable and integrated approach in order to sustainably tackle urban challenges. As such, the city participates in the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. Heraklion also released its Sustainable Urban Development Plan. Approved by the city council and ratified by the Regional Government of Crete, this Plan is a project worth 14 million euros of European funding to provide for long-term sustainable urban design and development.

According to a study by the European Parliament “Mapping Smart Cities in the EU,” Heraklion performs well in three smart city axes: governance, economy and citizen participation. This contributed to a holistic approach with solutions positively affecting all stakeholders: individual citizens, businesses, communities and the whole city.

“Heraklion: Smart City” made a significant difference in the day-to-day organisation of Heraklion:

  • Broadband infrastructure has reached 100% coverage.
  • Citizens enjoy access to more than 160 e-services via the municipality’s portal.
  • Volunteer groups coordinate community outreach events to help the city.
  • The Dimoskopio, a multidisciplinary organisation whose goal is to promote entrepreneurship and innovation with the intention of improving the economic stability of Heraklion, was created.

To learn more about this and other local best practices, check out the website of URBACT, the European territorial cooperation programme which aims to promote sustainable integrated urban development in cities all over Europe.

Since 2021, the RFSC tool has been used by cities and partners of the “Global Goals for Cities” URBACT network, supporting the localisation of the SDGs across 19 European cities.

REVAULT Martin
In Latest, United Cities and Local Governments

8th UCLG World Congress 

UCLG - News section

Call for the 8th UCLG World Congress in 2025

The triennial UCLG World Congress is a critical moment for the international movement of local and regional governments, gathering local elected representatives and their partners at an event so powerful it demands the spotlight on the global stage. What once began as a meeting point, the Congress has evolved into a complete experience that now encompasses various themes, and formats and encapsulates the diversity of our century-old movement. This Congress should count on more innovation, interaction, inclusion and input than ever before, culminating not only in our renewed vision, but also in policy documents to guide a unified and collaborative approach to implementing local solutions.

The 2025 Congress should remain a place for mayors, councillors and presidents of regional authorities and their associations to come together, while providing space for the full constituency, and an increasing number of partners, such as the Global Taskforce and other stakeholders.

The new reality has inevitably generated new technological needs. In this sense, the 2025 Congress will need to include a strong hybrid component to allow both in-person and online participation, which will make the Congress more accessible for all of our constituency.

The UCLG Presidency and members of the UCLG World Council are looking for innovative proposals that will be able to accommodate the ideas stated above and host this world‑class event.

Please find here the call for candidatures for the 8th UCLG World Congress with the requirements for presenting a candidature.

If you think your city or local government association can meet this exciting challenge, our World Secretariat very much looks forward to receiving your proposal.

Candidatures should include the following items in one of the three working languages of UCLG (English, French or Spanish): 

  • A letter of motivation explaining why the local/regional authority would like to host the event;
  • An expression of agreement with the Terms of Reference for the 8th UCLG Congress in 2025;
  • Explicit acceptance of the minimum financial and administrative conditions, which will be further defined in cooperation with the Financial Management Committee;
  • A draft budget that will provide an idea of the dimension of the envisaged event;
  • A logistical dossier with information about the venues and facilities;
  • A brief concept note with ideas about possible themes.

For further information or to present a candidature, please write to the attention of the UCLG Secretary General at UCLGExBu@uclg.org before 5 September 2022.  

TONHAUSER Boris
In Local Insights, PLATFORMA

e-Academies

Online - News Section

From southeast Europe to central Asia: how NALAS is setting up an e-Academy in a Mongolian province

Local governments and their associations can lead international efforts to achieve sustainability. Consider the Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe (NALAS) and its partnership with the Mongolian province of Darkhan-Uul.

With funding from the EU’s FRIENDSHIP project, NALAS is supporting the province and the efforts of its capital, Darkhan, to become a national model city for urban sustainability and livability, with a vision of becoming a “smart and green city” by 2032. But can this transition happen in practice?

One key aspect is knowledge and expertise. Since its set-up in 2004, NALAS has evolved over time into the main knowledge platform of local government affairs in south-east Europe. In particular, the NALAS e-Academy provides knowledge on topics relevant to local government professionals in the areas of investment planning, improving local services, energy efficiency, municipal finance, water management, gender equality and much more.

The idea then came of enabling Darkhan-Uul to create its own e-Academy to train its provincial and local officials. To achieve this, content and knowledge from the NALAS e-Academy will be transferred to the Mongolian province.

From reflection to reality
A Memorandum of Understanding was prepared, coordinated, and agreed upon between the project partners, including the School of Agroecology and Business, Mongolian University of Life Sciences. The document was signed during a NALAS study visit to Darkhan-Uul province in July.
In particular, the agreement aims to:

  1. Strengthen the capacities of municipal staff, elected representatives and relevant local stakeholders in governance.
  2. Transfer NALAS know-how in virtual capacity development.
  3. Contribute to the setup of an e-Academy at Darkhan-Uul Province Municipality.

The immediate next steps will be to include staff from Darkhan-Uul province and the School of Agroecology and Business in upcoming NALAS e-learning courses, identify together the courses to be transferred, include staff in developing online moderation and facilitation skills in a virtual environment and provide technical advice and support for the transfer and the initiation of activities.
​
During the study visit, the mayor of Darkhan City also invited NALAS to support the setting up of the Mongolian Association of Municipalities. Drawing from NALAS’ extensive experience in municipal network-building, the next steps will be defined during Darkhan-Uul officials’ upcoming visit to south-east Europe in October 2022.

REVAULT Martin
In Latest, United Cities and Local Governments

UCLG 2023 Culture Summit

Calendar - Conference banner

Apply to become the host city of the UCLG 2023 Culture Summit!

The Culture Summit has become a major event for UCLG. After the success of the Summits previously held (Bilbao in 2015, Jeju in 2017, Buenos Aires in 2019 and Izmir in 2021), and considering the growing importance of culture in the framework of sustainable cities, UCLG has decided to convene a 5th UCLG Culture Summit in 2023. 

The UCLG Culture Summit is a unique global event. It responds to the growing importance of culture in local development, a fact that has been evidenced in all continents at least since the beginning of the 21st century, and more than ever since the recent global crisis generated by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

We invite you to check the Terms of Reference of the 5th UCLG Culture Summit. Direct or indirect members of UCLG can apply to be the host city by 2 September 2022 in writing to the UCLG World Secretariat: UCLGExBu@uclg.org, putting in copy: culture@uclg.org.

TARAN Stanislav
In Bridges of Trust, Latest, Projects and Programmes

PL-UKR Solidarity Forum

Mayors in Ukraine - News 2023

Polish and Ukrainian local leaders plan cooperation and reconstruction efforts

More than 170 representatives of local governments met online at the Poland-Ukraine Local Solidarity Forum on 14 June. The participants discussed how to help Ukrainian partners, listened to Ukrainian mayors whose towns have been affected by Russian aggression and outlined prospects for future cooperation.

The Forum was co-organized together with the U-LEAD with Europe Programme and the Association of Polish Cities, in the framework of CEMR’s Bridges of Trust project.

Vyacheslav Nehoda, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories stressed that cooperation at the local level will be crucial, especially for reconstruction and the restarting of economic activities.
These comments were echoed by Tomasz Ostropolski, representing the EU Delegation in Ukraine, saying: “During the reconstruction of Ukraine, the municipalities will be integrated and take an active part as pillars and catalysts of development.”

EU municipalities also have a prominent role to play in supporting Ukraine. Zygmunt Frankiewicz, President of the Association of Polish Cities, noted that Polish society is uniting to help Ukraine and that cooperation between the two countries’ local government bodies will only improve, particularly with respect to reconstruction.

Lilia Furtus, First Secretary of the Embassy of Ukraine in Poland, thanked Polish local governments and the Polish people for the determination with which they are helping Ukraine. She stressed that “we must join efforts to end this war, we need military aid, humanitarian aid and support in the reconstruction of Ukraine.”

Support can also come in the form of multi-stakeholder projects involving local governments. Bastian Veigel, GIZ Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe, added that this project provides much-needed tools to communities affected by Russian aggression and will help in the post-war reconstruction of the country.

Ukrainian cities: living with war

In the second part of the meeting, the mayors of two Ukrainian cities shared their perspectives. Volodymyr Shmatko, mayor of Chortkiv in the Ternopil region of western Ukraine, reminded that in the process of decentralisation, Ukrainian local government officials have benefited greatly from Polish experience.

Since the intensification of Russian aggression, nearly 3,000 internally displaced persons have arrived in Chortkiv, a city of 30,000. The local government has received humanitarian aid from various sources, including the Polish city of Leżajsk. More than 100 tonnes of aid has been split between Chortkiv and municipalities in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions.

The mayor of Irpin, Kyiv region, Oleksandr Markushyn, emphasized the need for international support for the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. He also noted that projects for such reconstruction are already being prepared by the city. “Irpin will not be able to cope with the problem of reconstruction by itself”, he said. “Before the war, our city was prosperous and one of the richest small cities of Ukraine, a pro-European city, very beautiful. Today, it is very painful to watch when 50% of our city is in ruins.”

Polish cities stand with Ukraine

The third part of the meeting was devoted to examples of activities undertaken by Polish cities. Kamil Czyż, Director of the Department of City Brand, Economic Cooperation and Tourism of Rzeszów, outlined the scale of assistance provided to newcomers from Ukraine. The city received the honourable title of “rescuer city” awarded by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Chełm, a city of 60,000 people, has received nearly 25,000 Ukrainians. Great importance was attached to providing psychological support to people from Ukraine after traumatic experiences. Dorota Cieślik, Deputy Mayor of Chełm, explained the new task of helping transfer people who decide to return to Ukraine.

The last guest of the Forum was Paweł Kost, Director of the International Solidarity Fund PL in Ukraine. The Fund has been operating in Ukraine for 10 years. After 24 February, the organisation re-evaluated its activities and is now focused on providing humanitarian aid and also building capacities in social, educational and healthcare services.

At the end of the event, Ukrainian municipalities were encouraged to leave their contact information if they were looking for partners in Poland. This information was shared during the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Katowice and on the website of the Association of Polish Cities.

TARAN Stanislav
In Bridges of Trust, Local Insights, Projects and Programmes

Camp Sunflower

Sunflower Camp - News 2022

Ukrainian children find sun and peace in Latvian summer camp

As part of our coverage of the local and regional dimensions of Russia’s war in Ukraine, CEMR is highlighting the help given by European municipalities and regions to their Ukrainian peers. We hope these stories inspire other local and regional governments to heighten their efforts to support Ukraine.

Twenty-one children and three adults from the municipality of Nizhyn in Ukraine had an opportunity to spend unforgettable days in a summer camp in Latvia. This took place between 27 June and 6 July at a place right next to the sea – Abragciems.

This was the initiative of the municipality of Preili, which has been cooperating with Nizhyn for several years. The summer camp was organised by the Children’s Foundation in Latvia, however logistical support and transport was ensured through the successful cooperation of Preili, the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments (LALRG), the Viduslatgale Municipal Foundation, the Association of Ukrainian Cities (AUC), Nizhyn and 179 citizens from Latvia and abroad who have supported the initiative.

The camp was named “Sunflower” as this symbol is widely associated with Ukraine. The main aim of this camp is to let children who have seen war enjoy at least for a while Latvian sun and feel loved, safe and cared for.

The children who participated in the summer camp were aged 8 to 16. They were selected on the basis of three criteria: orphaned children, children who helped as volunteers during the war and distributed humanitarian aid to the population, and talented children (young artists).

A place of peace and healing

The group included children whose parents participated in the battles during the defence of Nizhyn, including two children whose father, an Armenian, lost both legs in the battles. The children were accompanied by three adults: Tamara Stratilat, the Head of Nizhyn volunteer headquarters, joined by Angela Timchenko, the Director of the Nizhyn Youth Centre, and Galina Bianka, the Head of the volunteer organization “Time for Us”.

During the summer camp, children participated in different activities. They were also provided with physiotherapy and classes with the possibility of using kinesiological taping and soft tissue techniques. Given the circumstances, the conversations with a psychologist were especially important.

The children not only enjoyed the sunny weather and seaside but also participated in various outdoor sports activities, cultural and musical events, as well as excursions to discover Latvia, its nature and its people. For example, they visited Rundale Castle and walked through the labyrinths of its beautiful park, enjoyed the magic and attractions of Tervete Park, as well as participated in the expedition along the sea coast. They have left Latvia back home taking with them not only nice memories but also different drawings and self-made souvenirs.

An all-weather partnership

The municipalities of Preili and Nizhyn have been cooperating for several years already, mainly organising joint activities in the creative fields, involving children and young people. Both municipalities have also actively participated in the European Days of Local Solidarity (EDLS) and development education activities organised by the LALRG and PLATFORMA.

The cooperation was not put on a break even during the COVID crisis, when children from Nizhyn together with children from Latvia and Georgia participated in the creation of a music and art video. Nor cooperation stop during the war.

LALRG and PLATFORMA hope that this initiative has not only brought joy into the lives of Nizhyn’s children and their parents but would also serve as an inspiration for others to continue the cooperation, even during these times, when this is not easily done!

This story was first published by PLATFORMA.

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