Espoo partners with the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih

3.5.2023 11.48Updated: 9.5.2023 15.15
Mayor Jukka Mäkelä signed the partnership agreement with the city of Kryvyi Rih at an online event. On the right pictured Mervi Heinaro, the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, Sports and Culture.

The partnership agreement to be signed at on Europe Day, 9 May 2023, will allow for collaboration in various areas. The collaboration is an expression of the City of Espoo’s solidarity with Ukraine and the residents of Kryvyi Rih.

“Kryvyi Rih was chosen as a partner at the suggestion of Ukrainian ambassador Olga Dibrova. Kryvyi Rih, a city of about 600,000 inhabitants, invests in education and strives to promote the sustainable development of the city in a very challenging situation. We believe we have much to learn from each other,” says Mayor Jukka Mäkelä.

Collaboration with Kryvyi Rih was launched in the field of education already in the autumn of 2022. To celebrate Espoo’s 50th anniversary, the city donated €50,000 to improve distance learning opportunities for Ukrainian schoolchildren.

“Educational institutions have started to collaborate with an open mind. I have been pleased to see how Aalto University, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and Omnia have welcomed collaboration with educational institutions in Kryvyi Rih. In general upper secondary schools, fundraisers have been organised, joint lessons have been held online, and students have become acquainted with each other’s cities, languages and cultures. Comprehensive schools in Espoo are also joining the collaboration. I am particularly happy about the activity of the students,” says Harri Rinta-aho, Deputy Mayor for Growth and Learning in Espoo.

The new partnership agreement will make it possible to continue collaboration in the educational field and to find common interests in other areas. The agreement mentions, among other things, sustainable development, culture, sports and wellbeing. The agreement was signed at an online event between the cities on Europe Day, 9 May 2023.

Broad support for Ukrainians

As a result of the war, many Ukrainians have also arrived in Espoo. See our information package for those arriving in Espoo from Ukraine.

Ukrainian children are offered music activities in their own language,and the city’s business services have piloted a support function for Ukrainian start-ups wishing to settle in the Helsinki metropolitan area.

We have also supported Ukraine with a joint fundraiser by the cities of Espoo, Helsinki and Vantaa and the Helsinki Chamber of Commerce, where residents, companies and cities donated more than 120 heating devices to Ukraine. We also participate in the activities of the Eurocities network in support of Ukraine, for example, by sharing know-how related to the sustainable reconstruction of cities.

The City of Espoo broke off twinning relations with Russia as soon as the war began.

Did you know this about Kryvyi Rih?

Kryvyi Rih is located in central Ukraine in the Dnipropetrovsk region. At the beginning of 2022, the city had a population of 603,900. Kryvyi Rih is the longest city in Europe (126 km), which has prevented Russia from encircling the city in the war.

Kryvyi Rih is the centre of Ukrainian steel production and has extensive deposits of iron ore. The city is also known for its advanced mining and metal industries. Before the war, Kryvyi Rih attracted the most international investments among Ukrainian cities, more than $6 billion. Almost 10% of the country’s exports came from the city’s businesses.

Kryvyi Rih is the birthplace of both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukrainian Ambassador to Finland Olga Dibrova.

Inquiries

Harri Rinta-aho, Deputy Mayor of Growth and Learning, harri.rinta-aho@espoo.fi

Annika Forstén, Head of International Affairs, +358 40 6369681 annika.forsten@espoo.fi

  • International affairs