A delegation of representatives of the Kyiv City Youth Council and the Youth and Sports Department of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Kyrgyz Republic went to the city of Hamburg for the event "Expert exchange of youth between twin cities of Kyiv-Hamburg". This exchange was a strategic step in strengthening the partnership, contributing to the discussion of key issues of youth policy and the establishment of friendly relations between the organizations of both cities.
Kyiv City Youth Council — is called upon to work on the formation of the city's youth policy, to represent and protect the rights and interests of young people, to create favorable conditions for personal growth and development, to attract participation in social political life of the city and decision-making regarding them, to achieve consolidation of the participants of the youth policy of the city of Kyiv to the youth platform of interaction of state bodies of local authorities, institutions of civil society and youth with the aim of joint work on the development of the youth sphere and the formation of an active comprehensive of a developed young personality, because every young person should be informed, heard and involved in the processes that concern him, should be able to advocate his ideas and get acquainted with the tools with the help of which it can be done.
Preparation of the delegation from the Ukrainian side and communication with the German side were carried out by: Vadym Bratchikov, Ivan Vdovichenko, Nataliya Shevchuk, Elizaveta Boryskina
The delegation consisted of representatives of the Kyiv City Youth Council and the Department of Youth and Sports of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Kyrgyz Republic (KMDA). We went to the city of Hamburg to participate in the Event "Expert youth exchange between twin cities Kyiv-Hamburg in the city of Hamburg on November 22-26, 2023". The trip was aimed at strengthening strategic partnership, establishing cooperation between state institutions, civil society institutions, and youth councils in both cities.
As part of its visit, the delegation held constructive meetings and discussions with key officials and public figures of the city of Hamburg. With Markus Heilig, the head of the International Relations Department of the Hamburg City Hall, they discussed issues related to the Solidarity Pact signed between Kyiv and Hamburg in April 2022, which became the main subject of the conversation.
Among the youth public sector, we met young firefighters of Winterhude, volunteers of the Falkons organization, Scouts from the German Scout Organizations, where the participants exchanged ideas and experience in the field of youth policy and formed friendly ties between their Organizations for further cooperation. In particular, a meeting was held with Frau Scholz, a representative of the Social Service of Hamburg, who is actively involved in youth issues and the exchange of international experience and who listened with pleasure to our specifics of working with young people. In addition, the participants took part in a volunteer initiative together with the social project "Spielmobile", which aims to create leisure time for children and youth in refugee camps. This is a machine that is equipped with all the necessary equipment for the work of teachers, animators, psychologists and other specialists with children and young people.
Exchange events also included meetings with Fatih Ayanoglu, director of the Hamburg Youth Council, and Thomas Hoffmann, head of international youth work and work with youth organizations at the Hamburg State Youth Authority, during which discussions own initiatives regarding the youth sphere as a whole, the experience of the Youth Council and plans for future cooperation.
At the end of the expert exchange, as a summary of the entire trip, they discussed the following topics: communication, career guidance, integration, ecology and youth involvement.
The event was organized with the aim of:
- continuing cooperation in support of the Pact and laying the foundations of a long-term partnership between Kyiv and the Youth Authority of Hamburg;
- establishment of long-term cooperation between the Land Youth Council of Hamburg and the Kyiv City Youth Council, the Separate Division of the National Youth Council of Ukraine in the city of Kyiv, the implementation of a youth dialogue between the cities of Kyiv and Hamburg in order to form a framework for the needs of the youth of our cities and the next steps to address them;
- supporting a dialogue platform between German and Ukrainian youth for the exchange of experience in the field of youth policy and public sector work, as part of European integration;
- establishing communication with state authorities responsible for the development of youth policy in Kyiv and Ukraine;
- development of bilateral youth cooperation between Ukrainian and German youth and promotion of cultural exchange between the countries;
- promoting the implementation of European integration processes in the youth sector of our countries;
- informing about the general state of the youth and advocating the needs of the youth community in Ukraine in the international arena.
This communication was allowed to be built by the previous long-term cooperation of the National Youth Council of Ukraine with the partner umbrella organization — the Federal Youth Council of Germany. The National Youth Council of Ukraine and the Kyiv City Youth Council, a separate unit in the city of Kyiv, were approached with a proposal to organize a professional exchange in Hamburg this year. Given the cooperation and communication of the Kyiv City Youth Council and the Department of Youth and Sports, which dates back to the signing of the Memorandum on May 15, 2021, this partnership has developed thanks to this exchange.
On April 24, 2022, the first mayor of the Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg Peter Chencher and the mayor of Kyiv Vitaliy Klitschko signed the Pact on solidarity and the future between the two cities. In addition to emergency aid, the mayors agreed to focus in the future on restoring and establishing long-term cooperation between government institutions and civil society institutions in both cities.
Head of the delegation:
1. Anastasia Volodymyrivna Kravchenko-Ugrekhelidze; Public organization "Discussion and Analytical Club "Ukraine and the World"
Учасники делегації:
2. Vynnytskyi Vasyl Ihorovych; Deutsches Haus Kyiv
3. Kosminska Zoryana Oleksandrivna; Kyiv city council of high school students
4. Viktoriya Viktorivna Krupska; Public organization "Ukrainian Alliance"
5. Mykyta Vasyliovych Rogutskyi; VMGO "National Organization of Scouts of Ukraine", branch in Kyiv
6. Katalin Pazhitsky; "Youth Interaction" public organization
7. Daria Vitalyivna Terebei; Public organization "All-Ukrainian Youth Movement "LETS DO IT UKRAINE"
8. Haydai Anastasia Andriivna; Non-governmental organization "Crimean Project and Educational Platform Q-hub"
9. Tetyana Oleksandrivna Krylova; Public Organization "Youth Public Organization "Vidrada"
10. Luhova Elizaveta Viktorivna; Public organization "SIM" - Union of Initiative Youth"
11. Boriskina Elizaveta Yanisivna; Public Union "National Youth Council of Ukraine"
12. Vinnikova Daria Oleksandrivna; Department of Youth and Sports of the Executive Body of Kyiv City Council (Kyiv City State Administration)
Conclusion due to the values of NYCU
Participating in this exchange reflected our values: equal opportunities for young people, protection of rights and active interest that concern young people. This exchange is an example of democratic cooperation aimed at improving the lives of young people, fulfilling international obligations and supporting common goals.
