On 14 November, the events marking the signing of the sister-city agreement between the Drohobych Urban Hromada and Hrastnik Municipality, Slovenia, will be held in Drohobych, Ukraine. The signing ceremony and the accompanying activities in Drohobych are organised under the auspices of the project “Post-Conflict Reconstruction in Ukraine”. The project is supported by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia (Slovenia Aid and Partnerships Programme) and implemented by the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) in Slovenia in partnership with the EU Programme U-LEAD with Europe implemented by GIZ Germany.

The partnership between Hrastnik and Drohobych dates to 2021, when the first contacts were made under the U-LEAD with Europe framework, with initial cooperation plans focused on youth, culture, and tourism. At the outbreak of war, Hrastnik’s citizens showed their solidarity by sending significant humanitarian aid directly to Drohobych. The ongoing project with CEP has deepened the partnership, allowing for the development of concrete project plans, including equipping a rehabilitation centre in Drohobych and providing essential medical equipment to the local hospital. We also aim to collaborate on enhancing the local and regional tourism sector in Drohobych, which will further strengthen our partnership through new joint ventures. Becoming sister cities aims to solidify cooperation on multiple levels for years.