To celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the European Local Democracy Week, the city of Kyiv, a twelve star participant of the ELDW, organised a broad range of activities both in the city itself and in the surrounding districts. Over 34 citywide and 137 district-wide activities took place in nearly 350 locations, promoting local democracy and tools that can enhance political participation within communities. Thanks to the efforts the city made to create visibility for the ELDW, over 30,000 people participated in these events.

The key activities were centered on participatory budget and the submission of electronic petitions, giving the citizens of Kyiv the chance to express their thoughts on an issue directly affecting them. The development of local democracy and the engagement of young citizens in local decision-making processes was discussed during a round table between representatives of the city, citizens and other stakeholders. A Youth Forum was organised, which decided to establish a Youth platform of co-operation between Youth and city authorities.

”Citizen participation, consultation and commitment: for a thriving local democracy” was the main theme of the ELDW in 2017. Citizen participation is a key component of democracy and good governance – core values of our society, represented and promoted by the Council of Europe and the Congress of Local and Regional Authority. Local and regional authorities play a crucial role in disseminating these values, due to their proximity to citizens. The ELDW 2017 is the occasion for elected representatives and citizens to emphasize the importance of developing and engaging community residents in inclusive participatory processes, in order to ensure effective and sustainable democracy.

Partners can submit activities until the 16^th of December 2017.