On 30 October, during the annual Lithuanian Development Cooperation Conference, the priorities for Ukraine’s reconstruction were discussed and important agreements were signed with international partners from Ireland, Italy and Taiwan regarding the financing and implementation of reconstruction projects in Ukraine initiated by Lithuania.
The agreements are the result of the efforts made by many diplomats and institutions from Lithuania, Ukraine and other countries, with the shared goal to rebuild the destroyed educational institutions and construct bomb shelters in Ukraine.
During the conference, the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Ireland in Lithuania signed a memorandum of understanding regarding Ireland’s earmarked 3 million euro contribution to the construction of shelters alongside Ukrainian schools. Lithuania has become the first country to team up with Ireland to implement the development cooperation projects in Ukraine by making a targeted contribution to the Lithuanian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Fund.
“With Russia sending troops to kill civilians and indiscriminately destroying civilian infrastructure, it is more common to hear bomb explosions and sirens than a school bell in Ukraine. We must join forces and do everything we can to make sure that Ukraine wins, and to protect the country and its people from further destruction. The mobilisation of Lithuania and its international partners in rebuilding what has been destroyed is our contribution to Ukraine's victory and the future of Ukrainian children,” Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis noted.
The Ukrainian Minister of Education and Science, Oksen Lisovyi, welcomed the participants of the Lithuanian Development Cooperation Conference remotely, and stressed the importance of the support from Lithuania and other international partners.
“I sincerely appreciate the efforts of the Lithuanian government to restore education in Ukraine. I extend my gratitude to the people of Lithuania, Lithuanian businesses, partners and charities, and also Foreign Minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, who is a close friend of Ukraine. We feel your support, we are following your speeches. Every word you say with courage resonates in our hearts. We really appreciate it and would like to thank you personally,” Lisovyi said.
To bring children safely back to schools and to speed up the school reconstruction process, an agreement was also signed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the conference between the Central Project Management Agency (CPVA) and the Italian architectural company Scandurra Studio Architeturra srl for the preparation of a standardized technical school design. The company won the international architectural competition, The Future School for Ukraine initiated by Lithuania.
Scandurra Studio Architeturra srl will produce a standardized technical design for schools by February 2025, which will be made available free of charge to the Ukrainian authorities and other international partners involved in the reconstruction of schools.
Lithuania is among the first countries to launch reconstruction projects in Ukraine without waiting for the end of the war. By pooling the efforts, experience and expertise of Lithuanian and Ukrainian institutions, relatively small bilateral projects have been transformed into larger initiatives funded by the European Commission and other partners. One of the best examples is the bomb shelter programme for schools in Ukraine with a total allocated budget of 15.5 million euros. The construction of bomb shelters next to educational institutions is essential to ensure that Ukrainian pupils can physically return to school and stay safe while studying.
Between 2022 and 2024, the Lithuanian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Fund supported the reconstruction of the kindergarten Rūta in Irpin, the Lyceum in Borodyanka, the renovation and equipping of educational institutions in Snihurivka in Mykolaiv Oblast, the construction of an anti-radiation shelter in a kindergarten in Irpin, and the completion of other significant projects.
The conference brought together Lithuanian and foreign policy makers, the public and private sectors, and non-governmental organisations to discuss how best to contribute to Ukraine's reconstruction and recovery, to increase the resilience of partner countries to the global challenges resulting from climate change, digitalisation and hybrid threats, and alongside, strengthen Lithuania’s influence in the international environment.
