Addressing the challenge of youth retention, the Rivne community in Ukraine have successfully concluded their first-ever citizens' assembly. Following three weekends of intensive deliberation, 45 randomly selected residents have presented 20 concrete recommendations to the local authorities, answering a critical question: how can Rivne community become a place where young people choose to stay and build their future?
The third and final session of the citizens' assembly was held on 25 and 26 April 2026. Organised by the Rivne City Council with the Congress support, the assembly represented a bold democratic mechanism for participation in a moment where elections could not be held due to the ongoing war, proving that local resilience and civic engagement remain top priorities.
The finalised proposals - including initiatives to boost youth entrepreneurship and business innovation, create spaces for youth, and establish a research-driven framework to co-ordinate effective youth policy and community integration - were formally handed over to Viktor Shakyrzian, Secretary of the City Council and Acting Mayor, during the assembly's closing session.
For the participants, the majority of whom had no prior experience with civil participation tools, the assembly proved to be a transformative experience. "I am truly impressed that citizens of different ages, professions, educational backgrounds, and social status can come together around an issue relevant to the community, develop practical recommendations for the authorities, and believe in their implementation," shared one assembly member.
Another participant echoed this sentiment, highlighting the personal empowerment that the process fostered: "After the end of the assembly, I have only positive impressions. It was a very valuable exchange of experience and ideas. In my opinion, many people gained more confidence in themselves, their knowledge, and their abilities. The process was organised at the highest level."
The preparation and implementation of the citizens' assembly is conducted as part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine "Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction" for 2023-2026 and the project "Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine's recovery", implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. It provides comprehensive expert and methodological support for the organisation and implementation of citizens' assemblies in the Rivne community, the Obolon district of Kyiv, and the Lviv Agglomeration in 2026. In October 2025, bilateral memorandums of understanding were signed in Strasbourg.
