The Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund (UMAEF) has launched the second season of the socio-educational video project “City DNA. Partnerships” – an initiative that showcases stories of how international cooperation transforms Ukrainian communities, supports recovery efforts, and advances Ukraine’s European integration.

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The project is part of the International Mayors Summit initiatives. It features seven episodes highlighting various forms of partnerships between Ukrainian cities and communities and their foreign counterparts, demonstrating how their cooperation drives tangible changes at the local level. The shooting brought together international community representatives, namely Søren Gade, Speaker of the Danish Parliament, and Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Deputy Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas.

“We aimed to showcase various examples of partnerships, so that these stories serve not only as inspiration but also as a practical guide for communities that have yet to establish international municipal cooperation. Despite common perception, over 900 Ukrainian communities still lack a single foreign partner,” said Iryna Ozymok, Local Economic Development Program Director at UMAEF and project initiator.

“The partnership between Vinnytsia and Nancy reflects our shared European values – life, progress, and solidarity. Together we are advancing projects in health, education, culture, innovation, and sustainable development. It is time for the war to end so that we can build a peaceful future together,” said Mathieu Klein, Mayor of Nancy.

The first episode is dedicated to the partnership between Mykolaiv and Denmark, which began in March 2022 during active hostilities when the city was left without water supply due to damaged water pipeline, destroyed by Russian shelling. Denmark was among the first countries to respond to Mykolaiv’s needs, providing humanitarian aid, supporting water supply restoration, and contributing strategically to the region’s recovery. As part of the Ukraine Transition Program 2025–2028, Denmark has designated Mykolaiv region as a priority partner region, planning to invest over €225 million in rebuilding critical infrastructure, energy systems, water supply, and local development. This cooperation has become a unique model of international partnership, with a partner country taking comprehensive responsibility for the recovery of a specific Ukrainian region by combining governmental, municipal, and donor support.

Watch the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kYIgb-l60g  

The program will air every Wednesday at 10:00 am on YouTube and the MEGOGO streaming platform.

Upcoming episodes will tell the stories of the following partnerships:

1. Poltava – Panevėžys Region, Lithuania: A cultural partnership between regions, initiated by a Ukrainian refugee, helping to overcome the Soviet past.
2. Trostyanets, Lviv Oblast – Hofstetten, Germany: Cooperation between small communities that evolved from humanitarian aid to the supply of utility machinery and advocacy for Ukraine.
3. Pereshchepyne, Dnipropetrovsk region – Idrija, Slovenia: A partnership focused on waste management, driving economic development and modernization.
4. Vinnytsia – Nancy, France: A medical partnership in rehabilitation and prosthetics, enhancing Ukraine’s expertise.
5. Lutsk – Lublin, Poland: Cross-border cooperation that secured EU funding for castle restoration.
6. Kharkiv region community: A step-by-step guide to finding a foreign partner, featuring practical experiences and recommendations.

“The project enables Ukrainian communities to reach the international level — to find partners, attract grants, promote their traditions, and share with the world the truth about the war and Ukraine’s resilience”, - said Mykhailo Tsykhuliak, Head of Trostyanets community, Lviv region.

“UMAEF supports initiatives that help Ukrainian communities not only rebuild infrastructure but also foster a new culture of collaboration with international partners and attract investments. This project is a tool for those who want to understand how to make partnerships successful and sustainable,” added Iryna Ozymok.

The “City DNA. Partnerships” project aims to serve as a practical guide for hundreds of communities seeking to develop through international connections and attract resources for sustainable growth.

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About UMAEF

Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund (UMAEF), formerly known as Western NIS Enterprise Fund (WNISEF), was created by the U.S. Congress in 1994, and is a leading regional fund, with over three decades of successful experience in Ukraine and Moldova (the “Region”). UMAEF’s mission focuses primarily on providing loans and equity to enterprises operating in sectors of interest to U.S. investors in the Region. UMAEF has invested $190 million in 143 companies, employing over 27,000 people in Ukraine and Moldova. Since inception, UMAEF has received $150 million in U.S. government funding, unlocking an estimated $2.4 billion in total capital for Ukrainian and Moldovan companies.

The project was created by the video production company Kryla Communications, founded by producer Alla Stashchenko, who also acted as the creative producer of the project "CityDNA: Partnerships". The team worked in seven countries - Denmark, Lithuania, Germany, France, Slovenia, Poland and Ukraine, covering more than 120,000 kilometers to film stories about partnerships. The filming involved more than 50 heroes - mayors, diplomats, entrepreneurs, experts, public leaders and residents, united by a common idea of ​​development, friendship, partnership and European values. Kryla Communications specializes in documentary and socially important visual projects. The production's mission is to create content that inspires, builds trust and changes people's lives for the better.