The forum "Decentralisation: from amalgamation to development" will start in Zhytomyr on 16 November, at 10.00, and will bring together hromada leaders from the region, representatives of business and government to exchange experience in implementing development projects. The event will take place at the congress hall of the Zhytomyr Institute of Medical Nursing in the format of four plenary sessions. The forum is organised by the Zhytomyr Local Government Development Centre, established by the U-LEAD with Europe Programme and MinRegion, and the Zhytomyr Oblast State Administration.

“The key goal of this platform is to bring together representatives of government, business and amalgamated hromadas to share experience in hromada development and find new ideas. We will present the economic potential and opportunities of hromada development, and will provide conditions for successful AHs to share creative problem-solving ideas,” said Vasyl Nevmerzhytskyi, Director of the Zhytomyr Local Government Development Centre.

Two hundred participants will represent their hromadas and organisations, practice networking, and will learn about the best experience of hromada development and project implementation. Within the frames of the forum there will be four discussions on “Non-Stop reforms. Realities and prospects for decentralisation in Ukraine: regional dimension”, “Hromada, government, business: partnership for welfare”, “International cooperation – opportunities for hromadas” and “Local development projects. Best practices”.

The discussions will be moderated by Yuriy Yekhanurov, Prime Minister of Ukraine in 2005-2006 and Defense Minister of Ukraine in 2007-2009, and Andriy Kulykov, journalist, editor, TV presenter and media expert. Hennadii Zubko, Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, Frederik Coene, Head of Section “Economic Cooperation, Social and Regional Development”, EU Delegation to Ukraine, Oksana Garnets, Head of the DESPRO Project, Yulia Yesmukhanova, Deputy Director of the USAID DOBRE Programme, and others were invited to participate in the plenary sessions.

Each of the discussions aims to crystallise hromadas’ valuable practical problem-solving experience and formulate ideas for development projects that will allow hromadas to make profit. In addition, hromadas of the Zhytomyr and Vinnytsia Oblasts will sign memorandums on cooperation at the forum.

For more information, please contact Dmytro Klymenko, communications adviser at the Zhytomyr LGDC, via the tel. 096-700-40-85.