News

In the spring of 2017, AUC jointly with PLEDDG Project announced a call for short-term gender initiatives, which will enhance women’s involvement in local economic development processes. The total budget of the funding within the call is worth UAH 600,000.00. A specially created committee selected 8 projects out of 38 projects received, which will be launched as early as July 2017

As part of PLEDDG Project, from May 27 till June 5, 2017 mayors of 6 PLEDDG partner cities were in Canada on a local governance study tour. The aim of the study tour was to showcase Canadian good governance models and best practices, with a particular focus on the rule of law, strategic planning of city development, citizen engagement, favorable business climate and local economic development.

Incorporation of environment protection measures into local governments’ activities and environmental sustainability issue into cities’ development programs with the aim of fostering sustainable development of the territorial communities are high on the agenda of the Environmental Sustainability Section of the Association of Ukrainian Cities (AUC). On May 31, 2017 the Section gathered in Zaporizhia for a working meeting to discuss the key issues of environmental sustainability.

On April 28, 2017, with support from PLEDDG Project and Horishni Plavni City Council, a Union of SME Exporters was created at a founding conference in Horishni Plavni. The purpose of such a union is to combine efforts and resources of current and potential exporters among small and medium enterprises from different regions of Ukraine in order to raise competitive capacity of their members in entering new markets both at home and abroad, establish contacts with international partners, attract resources for export development.

In 2017-2018 PLEDDG Project is set to to develop an online training course on SME competitive capacity building. Also, PLEDDG’s Democratic Governance and Development Initiatives Support Fund will become an important element of PLEDDG cooperation with its partner cities. It will go along with development and implementation of communications strategies, enhancement of cooperation with media, study tours to Canada and Poland

On April 6, 2017, Khmilnyk hosted a founding conference of a public union “Ukrainian Organic Cluster”

The Forum, which takes place every year in Lviv, has become a platform for knowledge sharing and experience exchange in the local self-governance sphere, as well as an effective tool for developing practical solutions to pressing issues related to local self-governance and the role of local authorities in national development

On March 23-24, 2017 Lviv hosted a round-table discussion on social entrepreneurship and its support by local government, organized within the framework of PLEDDG Project. The goal of a two-day event was to introduce the potential of social entrepreneurship for solving pressing social issues, familiarize participants with relevant Canadian experience and Ukrainian best practices of creating and running social enterprises

Over 100 representatives of central, regional and local authorities, non-governmental organizations, united territorial communities, Ukrainian and foreign experts attended the forum. The objective of the forum was to establish cooperation and allow for information exchange between central executive and legislative bodies of Ukraine, as well as regional and local authorities, with the aim of improving the mechanisms of planning and facilitation of the development of territorial communities, which will contribute to enhancing competitiveness and quality of life in Poltava region

On March 14-15, 2017, a working meeting of the Committee on Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men of Association of Ukrainian Cities (AUC) took place in Lviv. The Committee discussed women’s comfort and safety in cities