#TogetherWeActFest – Rivne continued a series of regional public events within Communication Campaign on EU support for civil society and independent media in Ukraine 

On June 30, the European Union Delegation to Ukraine in partnership with CO 100% Life Rivne Network hosted the #TogetherWeActFest – Rivne.

In the Rivne Oblast, 25 sub-grant projects in the civil sector are currently being implemented with EU support. Today, 63 grant and 1,877 sub-grant EU projects are active in Ukraine, with assistance to CSOs surpassing €104 million.

Panel discussion “EU and Ukraine: Partnership, Support, and Future” was the key event of #TogetherWeActFest – Rivne Participants agreed that crucial decisions made by the European Union in the early days of Russia’s full-scale war change its approaches to funding Ukrainian CSOs. EU helped these organizations to persevere in the challenging conditions, establish, and expand their work. One striking example of such resilience and growth is CO 100% Life Rivne Network, which has scaled up to the national level and is now one of the largest in Ukraine.

Hanna Kotenko, Executive Director of CO 100% Life Rivne Network:

“The European Union has provided extraordinary and urgent support to Ukrainians. The EU’s decision to reformat the EU4CSOs project to focus on the people’s urgent needs during the war was extremely important for us. We felt trust and support from the donor, which gave us strength and confidence. The EU4CSOs Emergency Actions project launched in March 2022 allowed us to continue evacuating people, supplying food to frontline areas and to displaced people, and supporting people in penitentiary institutions.

The one thing we are most proud of is the support of civil society: we have provided 89 grants to CSOs and 50 to community activists from among displaced people.

This is a vivid example of how excellent crisis management and trust in civil society save lives. The EU has not only provided financial assistance but also actively cooperates with local organizations to ensure its maximum effectiveness.

Our new project, EU4CSOs EmpowerUA, aims to improve the quality and diversity of social protection forms by developing the social services market at the community level, which demonstrates the effectiveness, consistency, and sustainability of cooperation between the EU and Ukrainian civil society.”

Participants of the panel discussion assessed the impact of EU assistance on the situation in the region, shared success stories, and discussed opportunities for spreading best practices of CSOs and local communities.

Rivne CSOs have established a constructive dialogue with the authorities and gained diverse experience in various activities, including new areas. As an example, they have been working with internally displaced persons (IDPs), as many people came to Rivne Oblast fleeing the war and needed urgent help. In this case, they initially were the beneficiaries of EU-supported projects, and then they themselves joined the work in the public sector. This case showcases one of the goals of the current communication campaign – not only to inform people about EU support and the opportunities it provides to Ukrainians, but also to motivate them to join the common work in the interests of communities.

Ihor Pavlenko, Deputy Head of Rivne Oblast State Administration:

“At the regional level, EU assistance is delivered through numerous projects and programmes across various sectors, creating a powerful synergy for development and reform. We are familiar with the EU4Business, EU4Skills, Creative Europe Ukraine, and U-LEAD with Europe programmes. Equally important are cross-border cooperation programmes, notably Interreg NEXT Poland-Ukraine, where Rivne organizations actively participate.

Initiatives to be implemented in Rivne over the next two years will address critical infrastructure needs in water purification, sanitation, healthcare, environmental protection, and emergency response. Each project, each change, represents a step towards improving lives, strengthening communities, facilitating recovery, and advancing Ukraine’s European integration”.

The EU Delegation to Ukraine operated an information booth at the festival, where visitors had the opportunity to learn about the EU’s comprehensive support for Ukraine and participate in the interactive quest titled “Together. Europe and Ukraine”.

The Alley of Civil Society Organisations “Solidarity” presented CSOs of the Rivne Oblast that are well known in the region thanks to their activities. The “Solidarity” Alley supplemented the #TogetherWeAct: SUPPORT exhibition, which showcases civil society organisations that have received support from the European Union since the onset of the full-scale war. The exhibition opened in Rivne on June 24 and will continue until July 7.

The festival also featured thematic and interactive zones, and a #TogetherWeAct photo zone. Consultations, public discussions, and master classes for all ages were held. Also, the guests of the event could participate in a contest of drawings #ToghetherWeMove.

In the lounge zone, visitors watched thematic videos and participated in a discussion of the film “Euromaidan SOS” with director Serhii Lysenko, hosted by the Rivne Docudays UA film club “Human Rights Through the Camera Lens.”

Background info

#TogetherWeActFest – Rivne continued a series of regional events as part of the Together We Act. Together We Are Europe communication campaign, implemented by the European Union Delegation to Ukraine. The campaign aims to inform Ukrainians about the EU’s unprecedented and unwavering support for Ukraine, particularly for civil society organisations (CSOs) and independent media since the onset of the full-scale war. This assistance has enabled CSOs and media to protect human rights, advocate for vulnerable groups, enhance public oversight and accountability of government bodies, and facilitate the implementation of reforms. The campaign’s first major public event, #TogetherWeAct Fest, took place in Kyiv on May 25 and attracted over 3,000 attendees. The second event was hosted by Khmelnytskiy, and the next events of the campaign will take place in Vinnytsya (July 13), and Cherkasy (July 27).

The Together We Act. Together We Are Europe communication campaign showcases the European Union’s support for civil society and independent media. Running from May to July 2024 across the entire territory of Ukraine, except for occupied territories and combat zones, the campaign features informational and educational events, interactive sessions, discussions, and seminars involving CSOs, the public, and media representatives. Press tours and media meetings are also planned as part of the campaign.

Informational partner of the campaign – Suspilne.

Join the communication campaign “Together We Act. Together We Are Europe” and follow its events on the official website or follow the pages of the EU Delegation to Ukraine on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter/X.

Contacts: Tetiana Voronina, media expert, EU Project Communicating EU for Ukrainians (CEU4U), which is being implemented by Ecorys, tvoronina9@gmail.com , +38 067 501 11 83