Over the past two weeks, Slovenska Bistrica hosted representatives of Zarichne Municipality as part of a mentorship visit within the Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine programme. The visit was organised by the Centre for European Perspective under the auspices of Bridges of Trust.

The mentorship programme enabled the Ukrainian delegation to gain first-hand insight into best practices of Slovenian local governance, public services, and local economic development. The focus was on practical solutions and transferable approaches that can support the preparation and implementation of development projects in Zarichne Municipality.

During their stay, the delegation visited several institutions and companies in Slovenska Bistrica:

• Komunala Slovenska Bistrica – presentations on digitalisation of public services, sustainable utility management, and innovative approaches to citizen engagement;

• Impol d.o.o. – an overview of modern aluminium production, advanced manufacturing processes, and the role of industry in local economic resilience;

• Slovenska Bistrica Agricultural Cooperative – insights into cooperative organisation, support mechanisms for local farmers, and strengthening local food systems;

• Dom dr. Jožeta Potrča Poljčane – examples of good practices in social care, senior inclusion, and community-based services.

These visits were complemented by in-depth discussions with practitioners, allowing participants to reflect on how similar models could be adapted to the Ukrainian local context.

In addition to field visits, the programme included targeted workshops on project planning, funding opportunities, and implementation strategies. Through guided sessions, participants developed concrete ideas for future cooperation between Slovenska Bistrica and Zarichne, with an emphasis on sustainable local development and post-war recovery needs.

The mentorship visit concluded with the formal signing of a cooperation agreement by the mayors Bohdan Kvachuk (Zarichne) and Dr Ivan Žagar (Slovenska Bistrica). The agreement confirms a shared commitment to continued knowledge exchange, joint initiatives, and long-term municipal partnership, marking an important step toward stronger international cooperation at the local level.

The activities were supported by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia within the framework of Slovenian Aid, and implemented in cooperation with U-LEAD with Europe.