Jõhvi and Lypovets: people’s diplomacy, European experience and friendship between communities

At the international twin towns meeting TWIN TOWNS MEETING in Jõhvi, Vladimir Palamar, Chairman of the Board of the Association of Ukrainian Organizations in Estonia, met representatives of the Lypovets community of Vinnytsia region – Yurii Stanislavskyi, Head of the Economic Analysis and Investment Attraction Department of Lypovets City Council, and Anna Kolobova.

The Ukrainian delegation came at the invitation of the leadership of Jõhvi Rural Municipality. The conference brought together local government representatives from European countries to share experience and develop partnerships between communities.

Jõhvi is the administrative centre of Ida-Viru County in north-eastern Estonia. The first written mention of a settlement called Gevi appears in the Danish Census Book of 1241. Its location at the crossroads of trade and postal routes helped it grow, and in 1938 Jõhvi received town rights. Today it remains an important administrative and cultural centre of the region.

Ukrainians are also part of the local community. According to population register data cited in the explanatory note to Jõhvi’s 2024 budget, 818 people of Ukrainian nationality lived in the municipality as of 1 January 2023. This figure covers the whole municipality, not only the town.

One of the conference topics was the European LEADER approach to local development. The Estonian side shared its experience of preparing and implementing projects, attracting funding and cooperation between local government, entrepreneurs and civic organisations.

LEADER is based on the initiative of communities themselves: local residents and organisations identify the needs of their area and work together on solutions. The approach covers developing entrepreneurship, local services, public spaces and other initiatives that improve quality of life.

The Lypovets representatives spoke about training in France related to learning this approach. The pilot initiative in Vinnytsia region includes, among others, the Lypovets and Illintsi communities. For Vladimir Palamar, a native of Vinnytsia region, the involvement of his fellow countrymen in this work is especially meaningful.

Sharing experience helps communities avoid known mistakes, prepare projects better and find new opportunities for development. Communication with partners who can show the results of their work and explain how they achieved them is especially valuable.

Cooperation between Jõhvi and Lypovets has a long history. The Association of Ukrainian Organizations in Estonia helped conclude the cooperation agreement between the communities and establish contacts. It is an example of people’s diplomacy, where a civic organisation becomes a bridge between the people, local authorities and entrepreneurs of two countries.

Over the years the partnership has been filled with concrete actions: humanitarian aid, mutual visits, community and business initiatives. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, support for Ukraine has taken on special importance.

Shared memories include a trip to Ukraine with the Ida-Viru business club “White Horse” and the “Lypovets – Jõhvi” bike ride. Such initiatives give people a chance to get to know each other better and turn an official partnership into personal friendship.

The Association of Ukrainian Organizations in Estonia sincerely thanks the head of Jõhvi Rural Municipality and his team, as well as the organisers of the TWIN TOWNS MEETING conference, for inviting the Lypovets delegation, for their hospitality and for the opportunity to share experience with European partners. Thank you for your openness to cooperation, your support for Ukraine and your attention to the needs of Ukrainian communities.

Special thanks go to Kalev Naur, Mykola Obara, Mykola Maidaniuk, the members of the “White Horse” business club and all the residents of Jõhvi who help Ukraine. We value your work, time and care.

Behind every official meeting are people who turn agreements into action. Like stitches on an embroidered shirt, their efforts join separate good deeds into a shared story of friendship between Ukraine and Estonia.