Tampere participated in the International Summit of Cities and Regions in Kyiv
The event, initiated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, brought together around 150 European representatives of local governments and EU organizations to discuss the reconstruction of Ukraine.
In addition to President Zelensky, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also attended the summit. In his speech, Mr Stoltenberg specifically highlighted the good cooperation of Tampere, Tallinn, Utrecht and Paris with Ukrainian partners.
At the end of the summit, participants adopted a joint declaration of intent. The participants reaffirmed their support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and condemned Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
- Participating in the summit was one way of showing our support for our twin city Kyiv and Ukrainian people. It was highly important to engage in discussions with international partners and Ukrainians on plans for the reconstruction of the country, said Aleksi Jäntti, Deputy Mayor of Tampere, who represented the city at the summit.
During the two-day event, the reconstruction of Ukraine in international cooperation was widely discussed. Participants were able to see the devastation caused by the war in recaptured towns and villages in the Kyiv region, including Butsha and Irpin.
- Ukraine has already started to repair the damage and rebuild the recaptured areas, but they strongly need the support of international partners and companies. It will take time before it is safe to return to the areas. Kyiv and Ukraine need our support, and the support of the whole international community for a long time to come, Jäntti said.
In addition to Tampere, Lahti Mayor Pekka Timonen and Turku Mayor Minna Arve also attended the summit.
Tampere supports Kyiv in many ways
Tampere and Kyiv have been twin cities since 1954. Tampere has supported Kyiv in various ways since the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression.
Tampere city board has granted Ukraine a donation of 150 000 euros in supplies and cash, and a donation of 40 000 euros to EU’s Generators of Hope campaign. The campaign, which ended in February in Pirkanmaa, collected a total of 33 generators donated by individuals and companies to be sent from Tampere to Kyiv.
In addition, Tampere’s public transport service TKL has sent out-of-service buses filled with relief supplies to Ukraine and Kyiv. Last summer, the city of Tampere organized a summer camp for children and young people from Kyiv.
Tampere has also repeatedly shown its symbolic support for Ukraine, for example by illuminating well-known sites in the city with the blue and yellow colours of the Ukrainian flag.
- Discussions with Ukrainian politicians and journalists have shown that Finland's role in supporting Ukraine is highly appreciated. For example, the assistance provided by Tampere is clearly well known in the Kyiv region, Jäntti said.
