On 9 July 2026, the Council of Europe project “Supporting the reform of the national minority legal framework and the resilience of national minorities and Roma in Ukraine” held an online seminar for representatives of local action groups on the topic “State policy on national minorities and Roma: a brief overview and the state of implementation at local level”.
The event was attended by 45 participants from the Vinnytsia, Volyn, Kyiv, Odesa, Chernihiv and Zaporizhzhia regions, including representatives of local authorities, civil society organisations, national minorities and Roma communities.
The aim of the seminar was to raise participants’ awareness of contemporary approaches to implementing state policy in the field of protecting the rights of national minorities (communities) and Roma, as well as to strengthen the capacity of local initiative groups to promote inclusive governance and the participation of minorities in community life.
During the seminar, participants discussed the importance of safeguarding the rights of minorities in improving the quality and sustainability of local governance, strengthening trust in public authorities and preventing social exclusion. Particular attention was paid to the role of local authorities in establishing mechanisms for dialogue and ensuring the participation of representatives of national minorities in decision-making processes.
A separate section of the seminar was devoted to the institutional capacity of public authorities to implement policies protecting the rights of national minorities and Roma. Participants discussed the importance of leadership, inter-agency coordination, analysing the needs of minorities, and developing partnerships between local authorities and communities.
During interactive discussions, representatives of local initiative groups shared their experiences of involving national minorities in decision-making processes and discussed factors that contribute to expanding their participation in civic and political life. Among these factors, the following were highlighted: the development of consultative and advisory bodies; support for Roma mediators; capacity-building for civil society organisations; the removal of social barriers; and increasing the visibility of minorities in public life.
The concluding part of the event was devoted to discussing practical initiatives already being implemented in communities to support national minorities and Roma, as well as identifying further needs for support and the development of cooperation between local authorities, civil society and representatives of minorities.
The seminar served as an important platform for participants from different regions of Ukraine to exchange experiences and helped to enhance knowledge regarding the implementation of policies to protect the rights of national minorities and Roma in line with European standards.
