Tartu and Lviv Sign a Memorandum of Cooperation
Tartu Mayor Urmas Klaas and Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyy signed a cooperation memorandum in Tartu, through which Tartu joined the international Unbroken Cities network.
The aim of the memorandum is to strengthen cooperation among European cities in crisis preparedness, resilience building, and support for communities affected by war. Unbroken Cities brings together cities that wish to learn from the experiences of Ukrainian municipalities and exchange knowledge on maintaining public services during crises, supporting communities, and ensuring urban resilience.
“Lviv has demonstrated extraordinary resilience and the ability to keep the city functioning even under the most challenging circumstances. Its experience is valuable for all of Europe. Joining the Unbroken Cities network gives Tartu an opportunity to learn from Lviv’s experience and exchange knowledge on how to maintain services and support people in difficult situations,” said Urmas Klaas.
The memorandum was signed during the two-day seminar “Urban Resilience in Wartime: Lessons from Lviv for European Municipalities,” held in Tartu. The seminar brought together representatives of Ukrainian and European local governments, public sector organisations, crisis management experts, and community support organisations to discuss urban preparedness for crises and ways to strengthen resilience. Topics included crisis management, ensuring the continuity of local government services, crisis communication, the impact of disinformation, the organisation of healthcare services in challenging conditions, mental health support, and more.
The Unbroken Cities network has grown out of Lviv’s UNBROKEN initiative, which provides treatment, rehabilitation, and support services for people affected by war and shares the experiences of Ukrainian cities with international partners. The network’s goal is to help cities become better prepared for crises, strengthen cooperation, and increase community resilience in a changing world.