The Drohobych community is expanding its international ties: on 14 October a cooperation agreement was signed with Peterborough County in Canada. The document provides for a long-term partnership, exchange of experience and the implementation of joint projects in education, culture, healthcare, the economy and other areas of mutual interest.
The signing of the agreement was preceded by extensive preparatory work. On behalf of the Drohobych community, the process was coordinated by the Mayor, Taras Kuchma. Staff from the Department of International Cooperation and Energy Management of the Investment and Economic Development Office, headed by Lesia Lazunda, were involved in building the partnership. Representatives of the Ukrainian community in Canada also helped to establish contacts – the President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Taras Bahriy, and Volodymyr Palahniuk, who works on developing Ukrainian-Canadian partnerships.
Peterborough County is a region with a well-developed civic and educational environment, home to around 100,000 residents. It includes several small towns and communities. The region is known for its natural landscapes, active community life and strong educational potential. A key educational centre is Trent University in the city of Peterborough, where, according to available data, approximately 11,000 students study at the local campus and around 2,000 at the campus in Oshawa. This creates opportunities for contacts between educational institutions in Drohobych and the Canadian region, in particular for student exchanges and joint educational initiatives.
The signing ceremony took place in the historic Peterborough County Council building. The document was signed by the head of the county, Warden Bonnie Clark, and the Mayor of Drohobych, Taras Kuchma. The event was attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Canada, Andriy Plakhotniuk, and members of the county council, underlining the importance of the new partnership for the Canadian side.
The agreement provides for the development of cultural ties, exchange of experience in healthcare, the establishment of cooperation between universities and other educational institutions, the organisation of educational exchanges and interaction between students. A separate area of focus is the development of business contacts and cooperation between entrepreneurs from the two communities. These steps are expected to form the basis for joint projects and a move from declarations to practical cooperation.
During the ceremony, particular attention was paid to supporting Ukraine in the context of Russia’s full-scale aggression. Canada is home to a large Ukrainian community, and after the start of the full-scale invasion, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians seeking safety arrived in the country. The Ukrainian presence is also felt in the educational environment of Peterborough County: Ukrainian students are studying at Trent University, one of whom met the Drohobych delegation during a separate visit to the university.
As Mayor, together with our city council, we have an honourable yet at the same time deeply sorrowful duty – to bid a final farewell to our soldiers who have fallen, giving their lives for Ukraine. When we stand by yet another coffin bearing a fallen soldier from our community, we feel an immense responsibility. Sadly, our community has already lost hundreds of its defenders. In such moments, each of us feels with particular sharpness that we must do everything in our power in the struggle for Ukraine’s independence. That is why I want to thank the people of Canada, and especially Peterborough County, for supporting Ukraine and for signing this cooperation agreement. Aware of the responsibility we bear before our fallen heroes and future generations, we look to the future with optimism and believe in Ukraine’s victory as a nation in this war,” said Taras Kuchma.
After the document was signed, a formal flag-raising ceremony was held for the flags of Ukraine and Peterborough County. This step became a symbol of mutual respect and a shared commitment to developing cooperation. The participants then planted a tree together – a white birch (The White Birch). During the planting, Bonnie Clark compared the tree’s future growth with the development of the partnership between the Drohobych community and Peterborough County: just as the birch grows stronger over time, so too should the relationship between the communities.
The tree that was planted has become a symbol of the parties’ shared aspiration to deepen friendly ties, support one another and translate the agreements reached into concrete action. For Drohobych, the new agreement means an expansion of its circle of international partners, an opportunity to draw on the experience of Canadian colleagues and to create additional opportunities for community residents in the educational, cultural, medical and economic spheres.