Verkhovna Rada receives gold medal from Jean Monnet Foundation
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has been awarded a gold medal by the Jean Monnet Foundation for Peace and Democracy, as announced by VRU Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk. Stefanchuk said the award recognizes Ukraine and its citizens' efforts in defending the values of peace and democracy, which are the foundations of Europe. He also noted that it acknowledges the Ukrainian parliament's dedication to reforms that strengthen parliamentary democracy in the country. He thanked the Jean Monnet Foundation for this honor and affirmed that the Verkhovna Rada would continue to implement European standards of parliamentarism and pursue changes and reforms to ensure “Ukraine's return to its European home.”
USAID RADA: Next Generation supports inter-parliamentary cooperation and helps VRU establish partnership
USAID RADA: Next Generation provided organizational support to the delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine during recent visits to Poland and Switzerland, ensuring quality translation for parliamentary leadership during high-level negotiations. On June 12 in Switzerland, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, met with Eric Nussbaumer, President of the National Council of the Federal Assembly. Stefanchuk thanked Switzerland for agreeing to host the June 15-16 Global Peace Summit and requested the Federal Assembly to approve five billion Swiss francs for Ukraine's reconstruction. They also discussed cooperation in humanitarian demining and re-exporting Swiss-made weapons and military equipment to Ukraine. On June 11 in Poland, a summit was held with the heads of parliaments of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Ukraine, resulting in a joint declaration. The leaders agreed to cooperate on security issues and affirmed Ukraine's right to defend itself under international law, including strikes against legitimate military targets in Russia. They also agreed that negotiations on Ukraine's EU accession are a strategic goal for Ukraine and the EU.
New USAID RADA: Next Generation Chief of Party discusses further cooperation with VRU Deputy Speaker
On June 11, Marten Ehnberg, the newly appointed Director of the USAID RADA Next Generation Program, met with Olena Kondratyuk, Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. "I have known Mr. Ehnberg for a long time and am aware of his strong pro-Ukrainian position and support for Ukraine. I wished him success in his new role," said Kondratyuk after the meeting. They discussed their vision for further cooperation and outlined priorities, including launching a comprehensive communication strategy for Parliament and promoting its transparency, ensuring balanced representation of the governing party and opposition, strengthening the role and influence of the Verkhovna Rada, and building its capacity, especially in the context of European integration.
USAID RADA: Next Generation promotes citizen involvement in decision-making by sharing best practices of interaction between MPs and voters
On June 14, Program subgrantee, the Volyn Regional Branch of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, held a practical session for representatives from five communities in the Kamian-Kashyrskyi rayon of Volyn region. A total of 25 participants attended the session, where they discussed partnerships and interaction between the community, local authorities, and MPs to support local development and community recovery projects. Additionally, participants studied best practices in effective interaction with central government representatives under martial law.
USAID RADA: Next Generation supports public consultations to improve Ukrainian legislation, engage citizens and stakeholders in decision-making, and increase skills of VRU Committee staffers
On June 13-14, Program subgrantee, NGO Active Community, conducted an online training titled "Public Consultations as a Quality Tool for Drafting Laws" for staffers of the secretariats of Verkhovna Rada committees, assistants and consultants to MPs, and active citizens. Participants enhanced their understanding of public consultations as a crucial step in drafting legislation. The program covered the development process of public consultations, setting consultation goals, identifying and engaging stakeholders, formulating consultation questions, and effective communication before, during, and after public consultations. Participants engaged in an in-depth discussion of the components of the public consultation process, the communication strategies involved, and the creation of consultation documents.