The European Strategy for the Danube Region is the most successful regional initiative of the European Union for the harmonious development of the 14 countries connected by the Danube River. The programme is aimed at addressing global challenges in the region that cannot be solved by a single country; improving the well-being of the peoples living in the Danube Region.
Unfortunately, for a long time, Ukraine has not used all the opportunities offered by membership in the conglomerate of Danube countries under the auspices of the European Union and has not had a clear programme to promote its own interests in this space. No official delegation has ever been formed to represent Ukraine at the EU Strategy Forum for the Danube Region, an annual platform for discussing common problems and challenges in the Danube Region.
And only this year, thanks to the efforts of the Association of Local Governments ‘EU Strategy for the Danube Region’, as well as the support of the Ministry of Information Policy of Ukraine, our country was properly represented at the VII Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, which took place in Sofia on 17-19 October.
On 18-19 October, the VII Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region was held at the National Palace of Culture (1463 Bulgaria Blvd.), with a thematic focus on the development of culture and tourism. During the working sessions, representatives of the Ukrainian delegation raised issues related to various aspects of cultural heritage preservation, environmental protection, and tourist mobility. Traditionally, the activities of the Danube Transnational Programme, one of the main financial instruments for cooperation in solving common problems in the Danube Region, were analysed.
During the Forum, the Ukrainian delegation presented the Focus on the Danube almanac with interesting materials on the positive developments and reforms that have taken place in Ukraine recently.
The authors of the almanac are specialists and experts from relevant government agencies, leading academic institutions, and NGOs working in the field of implementing the EU Strategy for the Danube Region. They presented a comprehensive vision of Ukraine’s further participation in the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, the results of successful projects, and interviews with well-known Ukrainian reformers.