Think Local, Act Together: Civil Society and Partnerships for Ukraine’s Recovery

Proponent
Agency for recovery and development, International Renaissance Foundation, East Europe Foundation, Institute of Analytics and Advocacy, European Endowment for Democracy
Dimension
Local and Regional Dimension
Date & Time
July 11, 2025, 16:30 – 21:00
Location
Salone Delle Colonne, Piazza Guglielmo Marconi, 26/c
This side event will highlight the pivotal role of civil society and small communities in Ukraine’s recovery and European integration. Designed to support small and mid-sized municipalities and local CSOs, it provides a platform to build partnerships, share innovative practices, and access international resources.
The event will open with a high-level discussion reflecting on key milestones since URC-Rome and assessing the current state of Ukraine’s recovery. Subsequent panels will explore how civil society contributes to inclusive recovery—through citizen engagement, local leadership, and effective collaboration with local authorities.
An analytical report will be presented to provide participants with an overview of available mechanisms, successful case studies, and emerging practices. It will also offer a reflection on inter-municipal and cross-border partnerships as strategic tools for development and mutual advancement.
Main Goal
To enable local governments and civil society organizations to co-create inclusive recovery solutions, engage in mutually beneficial partnerships, and contribute to Ukraine’s long-term development through local action and international cooperation.

Programme

16:30–17:00
Registration and Welcome Coffee
17:00–17:50
Panel 1: Collaborating for impact: How CSOs can help drive inclusive recovery and local development
Mayor of mid-sized Ukrainian city (TBD)
Victor Liakh – CEO – East Europe Foundation
Iryna Tushnytska - PFRU
Jerzy Pomianowski - EED
Rep of Local CSO representatives working on recovery and inclusion (TBD)
10:30 am
Panel 1: Governance of Ukraine's Reform Institutions
Exploring the Ukrainian recovery governance reform issues that GMF’s MPI will work on, this panel will discuss strengthening national capacity, coordinating international assistance around a unified strategy, and ensuring transparency and accountability in the long term
17:50–18:40
Panel 2: Unlocking Opportunities to Drive Local Development
Yurii Romashko, Executive Director, Institute of Analytics and Advocacy
Fedo Hagge-Kubat - German-Ukrainian Bureau
Mayor of Ukrainian community (TBD)
EBRD
Larysa Levchun - President of National Congress of Ukrainian association in Italy
18:40–19:30
Closing Session:Ukraine Recovery: Takeaways from URC-Rome and the Road Ahead
Davide La Cecilia, Special Envoy for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, Government of Italy
Ulrike Hopp-Nishanka, Head of Task Force Ukraine (BMZ), Germany
TBC – Representative from the Government of Poland
Representative of the Government of Ukraine
19:30-21:00
Networking
Contact person: Iryna Mykulych – Head ofInternational Relations, Agency for Recovery and Development | mykulych@ard-ukraine.org