Bridges of Trust

On June 11 and 12, CEMR and PLATFORMA participated in the Ukrainian Recovery Conference (URC) in Berlin. The two-day event, featuring the participation of the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, brought together representatives from local authorities, associations, and mayors from Ukraine, Europe, and beyond. It provided a unique platform for knowledge sharing and dialogue among EU Institutions, civil society and local leaders cooperating for Ukraine's recovery.

CEMR presented its contributions to the URC recommendations. Since 2021, CEMR and PLATFORMA have leveraged their network and expertise to support Ukraine by creating partnerships with EU member states municipalities through the Bridges of Trust initiative. In 2022, CEMR has become core member of the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine and, most recently, implementing partner of the SUN4Ukraine project. Just before the event, CEMR and PLATFORMA were received by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development to present how decentralised cooperation and multi-level dialogue are supporting European development policy in Ukraine. CEMR presented its contributions to the URC recommendations.

The highlight of CEMR's participation in the 2024 URC has been the presentation of our latest project in partnership with BMZ and GIZ, which aims to be a game changer for partnership building with Ukraine. The announcement came from CEMR's Secretary General, Fabrizio Rossi, who unveiled the launch of the Platform "This is not merely a technological innovation but a political instrument that enables European municipalities to forge alliances with their Ukrainian counterparts, thereby expanding the scope of diplomatic engagement and strengthening bonds of friendship across borders," stated Fabrizio Rossi. 

The platform is a digital matchmaking tool for Local and Regional Governments that want to be involved in decentralised international cooperation.  Featuring a partnership swipe feature, it allows local and regional governments to match with peers to create collaborative projects and build capacity for a stronger democratic future.

The project will officially be launched in the coming months, but it is already open for registration.
 

• Register here to stay informed about the next steps of the initiative.