CEP – Centre for European Perspective is currently hosting 17 representatives of different Ukrainian local and regional authorities. During the five day visit, the participants will get the chance to learn about local economic development, local self-government, Slovenia’s national communities and the co-existence in communities with diverse ethnic population.

17 participants from Zakarpattya, Odesa and Chernivtsi oblast have arrived on the 10th of September. During the first day of the event, they gained knowledge about the Slovenian system of local self-government, regional development and national minorities in Slovenia. The participants showed great interest in cooperation between municipalities, in Slovenia’s minorities, multi-ethnic municipalities and the bilingual school system in certain areas.

In the following days, the participants will visit the bilingual municipalities of Koper and Izola, as well as the municipality of Domžale. They will have a chance to hear first-hand experience from representatives of the Italian minority in Slovenia and representatives of the Slovenian minority in Italy. Furthermore, they will learn more about the local development projects of the regional development agency in Koper.

The activities are financed by U-LEAD with Europe: Ukraine – Local Empowerment, Accountability and Development Programme, a multi-donor action of the European Union and its Member States Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Poland and Sweden.