On 18 February 2026, a coordination meeting brought together two Ukrainian communities, OGP Local members Zviahel and Orzhytsia, with the participation of the Association of Ukrainian Cities and the project team, to review progress in implementing their 2025–2026 OGP Local Action Plan.

Acting as a consortium, Zviahel and Orzhytsia continue the joint implementation of their commitments, focusing on youth engagement, participatory budgeting and veterans’ integration. Through coordinated action, peer exchange and solutions adaptable to different community contexts, the two municipalities are steadily advancing their OGP Local priorities.

In 2024, a consortium of Zviahel and Orzhytsia, with the support of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, joined OGP Local, and the first tangible results are already visible.

“OGP has become a catalyst for transforming governance practices within the community, providing access to tools that have a real impact,” emphasised Olena Sydorenko, Mayor of Orzhytsia.

Building on this progress, Zviahel is also placing strong emphasis on youth engagement through the further development of the School Participatory Budget, encouraging young people to take an active role in local decision-making. “Thanks to OGP, the proactive youth have realised that their ideas are valued by the community, and they are increasingly motivated to participate in local decision-making and drive positive change”, stated Iryna Hudz, Deputy Mayor of Zviahel.

The experiences of Zviahel and Orzhytsia demonstrate how OGP Local membership can foster innovation, inclusiveness and tangible improvements in local governance. Their progress highlights the growing role of Ukrainian communities as active drivers of transparency, citizen engagement and social development.

The meeting was organised within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026 and the project “Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine’s recovery”, implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.