On 25 May 2026 in Kyiv, representatives of national authorities, local self-government and civil society gathered during the meeting of the Platform for National-Local Dialogue on Open Government in Ukraine to discuss how local democratic innovation and participatory governance can contribute to nationwide democratic resilience and recovery.
The meeting was organised jointly by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Association of Ukrainian Cities within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Open Government Partnership, the Congress and the Association of Ukrainian Cities.
Opening the event, Mathieu Mori, Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, highlighted the importance of the Platform as a shared space for dialogue, learning and innovation between national and local stakeholders. “This Platform ensures that there is a bottom-up contribution to the national strategies and that local authorities implement activities that have an impact at national level,” he stressed.
The Platform showcased the findings of citizens’ assemblies conducted in Ukrainian municipalities and highlighted local practices developed through open and participatory approaches. Participants discussed how deliberative democracy mechanisms can strengthen trust between citizens and local authorities, improve policymaking and support more inclusive local governance. The event also featured the award ceremony of the national competition “Best Stories of Resilience and Co-action in Communities in Time of War”, launched in 2022 by the Association of Ukrainian Cities in partnership with the Congress and with the support of the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
Addressing the participants during the award ceremony, Cecilia Dalman Eek, President of the Chamber of Regions of the Congress, highlighted that “the stories recognised today are not only a reflection of Ukraine’s present – they are a foundation for its future.” She stressed that the communities recognised during the competition are already leading by example and can inspire local governments across Europe.
The discussions also focused on the implementation of Ukraine’s National Action Plan on Open Government for 2026–2027, including ways to translate national commitments into local-level action. Participants exchanged experiences on transparency, citizen participation, inclusive governance and co-operation between local authorities and civil society organisations, while identifying practical approaches for further strengthening open government practices across Ukrainian communities.
The event 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.
