olive-oil supplier that is home to brands including Bertolli Deoleo said it decided to put its production plant in Inveruno in the suburbs of Milan on the block The decision comes nearly three years after Deoleo opted to rent out the site – which it had planned to close – to Italy-based business-to-business supplier The Organic Factory Under the terms of the agreement, The Organic Factory which supplies food companies with ingredients including organic oil and lecithin, had an option of buying the site from the third year Deoleo said it was also holding other assets for sale including another production facility in Italy located some 55 miles further south in Voghera “The group is actively involved in their divestment process the directors estimating that these sales will take place in a period of less than 12 months,” Deoleo said The company declined to comment further when approached by just-food Deoleo generated a loss of EUR10.6m (US$12m) in 2019 much-reduced from the loss of EUR291m booked in 2018 Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis which Deoleo described as “a turning point” for the business although revenue declined 7.2% to just under EUR562m Deoleo said it had seen a 20% fall in raw-material prices Nominations are now open for the prestigious Just Food Excellence Awards - one of the industry's most recognised programmes celebrating innovation This is your chance to showcase your achievements Don't miss the opportunity to be honoured among the best - submit your nomination today Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network Italy's funeral home workers are haunted by what they saw in the pandemic's epicenter a Vergani funeral home employee cleans a hearse after it was used to transport the coffin of a deceased man from his home undertakers in Italy worked with few protections and many of them likely contracted the virus one of the countries hit hardest by the coronavirus Previously backlogged crematoriums are catching up and churches no longer hold stacks of overflow caskets But for funeral home workers who spent months on the front lines As the country tries to ease out of the pandemic undertakers such as Roberta Caprini continue to feel the full effects of the virus’s mental toll and I would tear up a little [from] what I had seen during the day,” she said she still hasn’t had time to process everything that’s happened “I haven’t really taken a break from it yet I am not sure what will happen when [I do].” collect the body of a man who likely died of COVID-19 at his house just outside Milan as the number of people dying from the virus decreased The people I met work in the Lombardy region where two priests were performing a brief rite over 27 coffins filled with people who had died of COVID-19 the army transported the coffins to be cremated The nearby crematoriums were so overwhelmed that the army had to bring them to other cities in Italy weeks went by before they found out where their deceased relatives were So many people were dying at the time that coffins were being stored in churches and nursing homes before going to a crematorium and extended relatives are a deeply rooted tradition only four relatives were allowed at burials They collected bodies from hospital morgues and had to enter ICUs and emergency rooms to gather documents of the deceased president of Centro Funerario Bergamasco funeral home told me he couldn’t forget what he’d seen in the emergency rooms: people gasping for air The air was abuzz with the sound of cell phones ringing Frencesco Mercalli is an employee of the Vergani funeral home with little sleep and an omnipresent fear of contracting the virus they wait to see if Italy is out of danger a partner of her family’s Centro Funerario Bergamasco comes from a long line of funeral directors she took a more active role in the company When she realized how dangerous the job was becoming due to the virus she lobbied the government for more protective equipment “We eventually had to threaten to stop our work—something I wouldn’t have wanted to do “We put ourselves behind doctors and nurses but we consider our work to be on the front line with a high risk of contagion.” whose relatives were undertakers in Sicily which was hiring more people to handle the increasing workload from the coronavirus Eduardo Dima took a job at Onoranze Funebri Generali funeral home to help with the rising influx of COVID-19 deaths one of the Italian cities hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic funeral workers performed their jobs without protective equipment were among the first to realize the gravity of the situation The government didn’t provide any assistance for these front-line workers the government agreed to provide protective equipment and banned funerals It also made it illegal to dress the bodies of the recently deceased—which made undertakers’ jobs safer but also took away an important part of their business Undertakers wore full protective equipment Workers from Vergani funeral home wrap the body of a woman who died of COVID-19 in plastic before placing it inside a coffin and sealing it The coffin stayed in the mortuary of the nursing home in Abbiategrasso a priest blesses the ashes of a man suspected of dying from COVID-19 a partner of the Centro Funerario Bergamasco in Ranica takes a test to determine whether they have COVID-19 antibodies the results show nearly all of the employees have antibodies indicating that they may have caught the virus in February or March Most undertakers worked 11- to 12-hour shifts without a break during those months I don’t believe anyone can come out of this unaffected not when you’re surrounded by so much death Many I spoke to were deeply affected and continue to be haunted by the experience Fabio Brignoli is 28 and has been an undertaker since he was 18 he closes his eyes and sees coffins—“those coffins with the names sometimes written with permanent markers,” he said was so afraid of infecting his family that he slept on the sofa bed in his office for two months He’d sleep for a restless five or six hours “I have never experienced this fear before But hearing all these stories and seeing all these people dying within a few days made me very worried.” works amid empty coffins in his company’s warehouse in Italy’s Lombardy region The structures in place for burials in Italy “were simply not able or prepared to manage the increased flux [of coronavirus deaths],” he said “This was just a total inefficiency of the public system.” The funeral ban has been lifted, but there are still restrictions. Funerals are allowed in churches, but with no more than 15 people, who must stay socially distanced and wear masks. Undertakers still can’t dress the dead. it was forbidden to bury ashes until two weeks ago So urns were set aside in crematoriums and funeral homes I attended a ceremony where about 350 urns were blessed inside a small chapel in the city cemetery They returned the ashes to relatives for them to bury or keep Even after 20 years as an undertaker, Mario Ortelli said the number of coronavirus deaths in Bergamo has shaken him. “Thank God now the situation has almost gone back to normal,” he said. “But I will always be scarred by it. It will be impossible to forget.” “We were always afraid of catching the virus, and we still are, when we have to handle the body of a person who died with COVID-19,” said undertaker Guido Monticelli, who’s been working for the Vergani funeral home since 1980. “But it’s the way it is; we need to do this job. There is no way around it. It’s my own choice.” Matteo Marnati, an employee of Onoranze Funebri Vergani in Inveruno, removes his mask for a portrait. Funeral home workers had to acquire their own protective equipment until the government began providing it. Funeral home administrator Roberta Magoni saw many elderly people in her village of Nembro succumb to coronavirus and felt relief that her own parents had died two years ago, when she was able to be with them. “This has been worse than a war,” she said. “At least during a war, people are able to return the remains of the dead for a funeral." Now, relatives haven't been able to emotionally process the deaths, and she worries "there will be psychological aftermath." Ricciardi told me that his funeral home, one of Bergamo’s largest, conducted 1,090 funerals in March. Typically, they’d have about 1,300 in an entire year. By the end of the year, he said, he may have to furlough staff because of the loss in profit. Stefano Vergani, who runs Il Giardino Degli Angeli with his brother Angelo, in Inveruno, believes the sparse and quick burials they were forced to conduct at the height of the pandemic were an eye-opener. “People don’t become aware of the ugly until they see it," he said. A bag of personal belongings sits on top of the coffin containing a person who died of COVID-19. One undertaker described hearing cell phones ringing in a hospital room where many people died of the virus. He later realized those calls were likely from relatives trying to reach their hospitalized loved ones. In the wake of the health crisis, Vergani sees a silver lining: Perhaps now, the ability to say goodbye to the deceased won’t be taken for granted. And the funeral services that were absent during the lockdown—from the guests to the presentation of the casket—will be treasured. Watch your inbox over the next few days for photos captured in mistnet on the outskirts of Wanang village their jelly matrix will limit ventilation to the egg masses starving out especially dense eggs like this (La Jolla Castor canadensis."},"title":"Where does vanilla flavoring come from The silken case itself is visible with the greyish material (a mix of caterpillar saliva and silk) the first black man to make it to the top of the country and western music field From Twenty Hand-Coloured Prints after Original Paintings of Famous American Thoroughbreds by Edward Troye (1808–1874) image: 11 3/8 x 14 15/16 in.","ttl":"2B0GHKP.jpg"},"title":"The life of Lexington used to make tequila on the grounds of the Fortaleza Tequila Distillery."},"title":"Visit Jalisco The Haenyeo make a living out of harvesting the sea floor catching conch They freedive to depths of 20 meters and hold their breath for minutes But the Haenyoe is an endangered 'species' the sea was abundant with them – around 30.000 of them would take to the sea almost daily they hardly number 5000 and more than two-thirds are over 60 years old Here are a few experts love."}],"topicName":"Lifestyle"},"rightpromo":{"id":"2c88edf9-e45c-48a7-a57e-3c8667c53fbc","cmsType":"TileGridModule","tiles":{"id":"drn:src:natgeo:unison::prod:441fde9e-010c-4a0c-a09d-296ee7cb9690","href":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/lifestyle/article/best-compact-cameras","cmsType":"ArticleNavTile","ratio":"4x3","title":"The 10 best compact cameras for travel Mario Ortelli said the number of coronavirus deaths in Bergamo has shaken him “Thank God now the situation has almost gone back to normal,” he said “We were always afraid of catching the virus when we have to handle the body of a person who died with COVID-19,” said undertaker Guido Monticelli who’s been working for the Vergani funeral home since 1980 “But it’s the way it is; we need to do this job an employee of Onoranze Funebri Vergani in Inveruno Funeral home workers had to acquire their own protective equipment until the government began providing it Funeral home administrator Roberta Magoni saw many elderly people in her village of Nembro succumb to coronavirus and felt relief that her own parents had died two years ago “This has been worse than a war,” she said people are able to return the remains of the dead for a funeral.\" Now relatives haven't been able to emotionally process the deaths and she worries \"there will be psychological aftermath.\" A bag of personal belongings sits on top of the coffin containing a person who died of COVID-19 One undertaker described hearing cell phones ringing in a hospital room where many people died of the virus He later realized those calls were likely from relatives trying to reach their hospitalized loved ones Demolition is a vibrant sector that has seen market growth both in Italy and in Europe Doosan has launched a new range of high reach excavators comprising the DX235DM and DX530DM models introduced in 2020 and the DX380DM which will be launched in the first half of this year A particular advantage offered by these machines is their flexibility allowing the user to easily switch between the demolition arm and an excavating arm and vice versa making it possible to perform different jobs on the same site Doosan demolition excavators are also equipped with a unique high visibility cab that tilts up to 30° specially designed for high reach applications These features were decisive in choosing the most suitable machine for demolition work on the former Belloli oil mill in Inveruno in the outskirts of the city of Milan in Italy where a new school complex for the town will be built on the site The need to raise the standard of school buildings in Inveruno together with the need to reconvert the abandoned area of the former Belloli oil mill led to the decision to build a new school complex on this 18,000 m2 site located in the centre of the town Responsible for the carrying out this important demolition work is Seli Manutenzioni Generali Srl a Milan company with over 50 years of experience in the construction sector which has seen impressive growth in its new Demolitions & Excavations Business Unit thanks to the proven leadership of Ivano Perego Commercial Manager of the division and his staff The demolition work involves the removal of the two sets of buildings in the old oil mill: a smaller tower and the imposing old concrete silos rising to a height of about 32 m and with a capacity of around 12,000 m3 For a demolition of this magnitude and at this height the largest demolition excavator model produced by Doosan was the ideal choice with a 29 m boom and its impressive work range  equipped with shears has been used to tear down a building made up of reinforced concrete bearing structures - beams and pillars - and thick brick slabs from above As with the entire Doosan range of demolition excavators the DX530DM also offers hydraulic undercarriage adjustment allowing the width to be extended to 4.37 m for optimal stability The undercarriage width can also be hydraulically reduced to 2.97 m for transportation purposes The DX530DM with demolition arm has been joined by two other Doosan crawler excavators on site: a DX235NLC-5 working with a concrete crusher and a hammer and a DX300LC-5 with a concrete crusher working on the demolition of the concrete tanks the DX530DM will carry out the excavation necessary to prepare the ground for subsequent construction works the demolition arm on the DX530DM is simply replaced with the digging arm maximizing the versatility of the machine on site the machine is equipped with quick-acting mechanical and hydraulic connections A cylinder drive completes the operation by pushing the locking pins into place The modular design of the Doosan demolition excavator family also offers two mounting configurations for the excavator arm further expanding the versatility of the machines which are therefore usable in three different configurations The Doosan machines on Seli’s Belloli project were supplied by DMO the Authorised Dealer for Doosan and Bobcat for the regions of Emilia Romagna Friuli Venezia Giulia and Lombardy (the provinces for Milan The two businesses have built a successful commercial relationship and Seli has chosen DMO to be the company’s main supplier for the rental and sale of earthmoving machinery Commercial Director of Seli’s Demolition & Excavation division said: "We rely on DMO both for the purchase and for the rental of Doosan machines which we customize with the white and yellow colour scheme that distinguishes our fleet Based on our excellent experience with the Doosan range we have implemented an investment plan for our new Business Unit in order to have a machinery fleet capable of coping with the important orders we are winning “Seli is currently active on 11 demolition sites in Milan and the surrounding province as well as on an important construction site in the heart of Turin where we are carrying out a demolition with Doosan machines on behalf of Banca San Paolo The workforce at the Demolitions & Excavations Business Unit is also growing We expect to be employing more than 50 people this year." added: "The strong commercial relationship between DMO and Seli is continuing to translate into new machine orders including the recent arrival of 40 tonne DX380LC-7 and 50 tonne DX490LC-7 excavators The two new Doosan excavators are extremely robust and productive ideal for demanding jobs such as demolition DMO offers efficient specialized technical assistance both in the 2000 m2 workshop at our new Melegnano headquarters This service is highly valued by Seli and by our other customers who continue to place their trust in DMO." Seli's investments are not just limited to the company’s fleet. The company has purchased a 20,000 m2 site for the storage of inert materials, where a recycling plant will soon be established This area is in the municipality of Bernareggio A new Doosan wheel loader is already planned for the new depot Advertise With UsFacebookTwitter With market-leading print and digital platforms for the Recycling and Bulk Material Handling Industries we provide a comprehensive and virtually unique route to market.Our bi-monthly magazine is available in print or electronic mediums delivering the latest news on new product launches and industry projects directly to individually addressed on-site locations throughout the UK & Northern Ireland Such is the demand we enjoy a regular pass-on readership of 2.5 providing a total of in excess of 15,000 regular readers of the magazine We work closely with companies to provide on-site editorials focusing on their clients feedback All wrapped up with on-site recorded interviews delivering dynamic stories and images that enhance the stories We also attend open days & events and promote these by writing engaging editorial pieces published in our magazine Let HUB-4 distribute magazines at your open day and we'll promote your event for you in the news and events section of our website prior to the event Our bi-monthly magazine is sent directly to 6,000+ quarries with a pass-on rate of 2.5 giving an estimated readership of 15,000 throughout the UK © 2025 HUB Digital Media Ltd |Registered at Companies House Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy the Conference "Local self-Government - the Basis of European Integration and Restoration of Ukraine" was held in Kyiv in a hybrid format The Conference was attended by over 500 participants: local councillors of Ukraine and EU member-states high-ranking officials of the European Union and the Council of Europe representatives of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine international organisations and municipalities Matti Maasikas, Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine, stated: “І am always glad to be in the Association of Ukrainian Cities which represents the Ukrainian decentralisation community at its best – with bottom-up initiative and resolve to work both for their small motherlands and for the Ukrainian state as a whole The EU has been proud to provide a consistent support to decentralisation reform from its very outset both strategically and via our flagship U-LEAD with Europe project decentralisation is considered a signature reform for Ukraine and rightly quoted as of the major achievements of the country after the Revolution of Dignity But these solemn concepts have a very practical meaning in Ukraine under the full-scale Russian invasion municipalities played a key role in maintaining the resilience of the country – they have managed to mobilise popular support help organise voluntary territorial defence and receive large numbers of internally displaced persons decentralisation can play an important role in what we call “good governance” Effective multi-level governance can help candidate countries meet the Copenhagen criteria and is thus also a part of the Commission’s assessment under the annual enlargement reports The first of such report will be published by the European Commission in autumn and what is particularly relevant in the context of today’s Conference local self-government and decentralisation are instrumental for the effective recovery of Ukraine we need a well-structured plan which is owned by Ukraine and ensures a whole-of-the-country approach That means also making full use of achievements of decentralisation reform The last weeks have brought important developments on the recovery track: the London Conference and the presentation of the Commission’s proposal for the Ukraine Facility The London Conference helped in mobilising international support for Ukraine's economic and social stabilisation and recovery from the effects of russia's war of aggression the European Commission proposed a new instrument - the Ukraine Facility; it will play a key role in providing predictable financial support for Ukraine over the 2024-2027 period and this features quite prominently in its specific provisions that municipalities should be instrumental for an effective implementation of this new strategic instrument In the coming weeks the EU will work at high speed and with our Ukrainian partners to bring it into operation soon there will be a lot of down-to-earth work where we count on the pro-active and constructive ideas coming from the local level on how to benefit from the potential of both the most agile municipalities I am sure that – throughout the panels – the participants present today can bring the best of their contributions – local leaders and municipal associations from the rest of Europe The EU will keep up its support all along the way” Vitaliy Klitschko, Chairman of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, Mayor of Kyiv, said: A year ago, we gathered in this hall for the "reVIVEd Ukraine - reVIVEd Communities" Forum for the first time since the beginning of the large-scale war we discussed the future of Ukraine’s recovery And adopted a Manifesto on the support of the municipalities of the European Union member-states for granting Ukraine the status of an EU candidate We are grateful to all our international partners European municipalities for supporting Ukraine on its Euro-Atlantic path – Ukraine has been granted the status of a candidate for accession to the European Union Today we are fighting the aggressor for Ukraine’s independence and freedom The Armed Forces are fighting heroically on the frontline the representatives of local self-government We also need to introduce legislative changes that will allow Ukraine not only to become a member of the EU and NATO but also to provide all residents with decent living and working conditions Municipalities should have sufficient resources and powers to ensure the safety of their territories and residents We must build the kind of public administration system that our defenders are fighting for today These should be the rules and principles of democracy: fair and independent courts clear division of powers and responsibilities These are the changes outlined in the Resolution of the European Parliament adopted on 15 June The European Parliament called the decentralisation reform and the development of local self-government a prerequisite for Ukraine’s successful recovery and integration into the European community MEPs called on the Ukrainian government to strengthen local self-government And to use the success of the decentralisation reform in the process of rebuilding and restoring Ukraine They also drew attention to further cooperation with the Association of Ukrainian Cities and the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine And we are developing our cooperation with European colleagues local governments ensure democratic governance transparency and openness of decision-making processes They ensure the involvement of citizens in solving issues that affect their lives That is why the position of local self-government is united and developed by the Association of Ukrainian Cities taking into account European experience and democratic principles This position is supported by international partners And it should become the basis for continuing the decentralisation reform and implementing European legislation in Ukraine if we want to join the EU and NATO I have already said this and I want to emphasise it again: local self-governance in all democratic countries is built from the bottom up And this is the basis of democracy and state development All together to bring Ukraine’s Victory closer And continue to implement reforms and democratic changes in our country Oleksandr Korniienko, First Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, said: “The decentralisation reform will be one of the main components of our European integration The component of cooperation between the European Commission and Ukraine through civil society organisations is very important We need to work on improving the managerial skills and increasing the capacity of local self-government That is why we in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine are doing everything for this.” Andrej Horvat, Deputy Programme Director, Head of the Sustainable Development Unit of “U-LEAD with Europe” Programme, expressed his conviction that “Local authorities have proved their effectiveness so U-LEAD with Europe continues to provide comprehensive support to local self-government in Ukraine through the Bridges of Trust Project which is one of the main pillars of work after the start of the full-scale invasion aimed at restoring and rebuilding Ukrainian municipalities and strengthening their relations with European municipalities in the process of EU integration.” Advisor to the Chairman of the Association of Ukrainian Cities who moderated the opening of the Conference thanked all international partners for supporting Ukraine in its fight against the aggressor and stressed that all European institutions which are now defending democratic values together with Ukraine noted the need to develop local self-government and continue decentralisation reforms for Ukraine's further movement towards the European Union The discussion during the Conference was held in thematic panels the participants discussed the restoration of municipalities in the context of Ukraine's European integration Viola Von Cramon, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee, said: "Ukraine is confidently moving towards the European Union we are all happy that there is political will in Ukraine at all levels when the reconstruction begins and expanded funding comes we have to make sure that there are decentralised institutions that can take the funds from the programmes and use them wisely That is why we pay great attention to strengthening mayors and local councils who work at the basic level and have a lot of experience and know the basic needs of people” She stressed the Resolution adopted on 15 June in which the European Parliament calls on the Ukrainian authorities to continue strengthening local self-government as an important component of the future reconstruction and recovery of Ukraine warns against amending legislation in favour of individuals at the expense of equal conditions and transparency and urged the President of Ukraine not to sign the draft law 5655 on urban development Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU, emphasised: “The historic decision to grant Ukraine the EU candidate status a year ago was made possible thanks to Ukraine's defence forces their heroism in resisting the war and the efforts of the government and civil society We believe that we will succeed in mobilising society at all levels to open negotiations on EU membership this year the Verkhovna Rada will have completed its tasks and we will have a positive assessment by the EU in October." Georg Milbradt, Special Envoy of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany for Governance and Decentralisation Reforms in Ukraine, noted that despite the fact that Ukraine cannot complete the decentralisation reform by amending the Constitution due to the war it must develop its legislation with all the guarantees provided to local governments in line with European standards the principle of subsidiarity should be taken into account meaning that decisions should be made at the level of government that is closest to the people The principles of fiscal decentralisation should also be taken into account which will create a balance between fiscal revenues and budget expenditures of municipalities Special attention should be paid to the formation of budgets for financially weak municipalities Municipalities should be able to influence their own socio-economic development and be legal entities in accordance with the Roman concept of law Niina Ratilainen, Member of the European Committee of the Regions, Working Group on Ukraine, Turku City Council (Finland), shared the experience of cooperation at the local government level noting that this year marks the year of twinning between the cities of Kharkiv and Turku “All of Ukraine's international partners have now realised that it is necessary to link the reconstruction process with Ukraine's future accession to the EU We at the Committee of the Regions are working closely with the Association of Ukrainian Cities and other institutions within the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine to share various practices among partners.” stressed that the decentralisation process should focus because today regions and municipalities do not have the financial instruments to compete with each other by creating separate economic zones industrial parks and technology parks: " Of course the territories that are closer to the border will always lose out to those in the west and closer to the centre instead of working and creating additional value additional money for their municipalities." Kelmend Zajazi, Executive Director of the Network of Associations of the Local Authorities of South East Europe, shared the experience of municipalities that have gone through the European integration process He drew attention to several important messages that show the process of EU integration “The process of joining the EU means that the rule of law must come first the role of local authorities and associations was put on hold” He added that now they are turning to people's rights the rule of law and democratic institutions for the implementation of which the importance of local authorities cannot be forgotten Olena Sydorenko, Mayor of Orzhytsia (Poltava Region), spoke about the municipality's participation in the “Bridges of Trust” Project implemented by the Association of Ukrainian Cities jointly with the Council of European Municipalities and Regions with the support of the “U-LEAD with Europe” Programme She stressed that thanks to the Association of Ukrainian Cities many Ukrainian municipalities have received partner municipalities that share their experience of joining the EU experience in exercising powers at the local level and others: "The municipality of Budakeszi (Hungary) became the partner of the Orzhytsia municipality in this Project Despite the different realities of development and the official position of the Hungarian government we were convinced during the study visit to the partner hromada: Ukraine can count on support and our municipality understands that the cooperation and the project we are already starting to write with Budakeszi can be implemented as we can submit it for funding together." Maroš Sagan, Mayor of Cifer Municipality, Representative of the Association of Towns and Municipalities of Slovakia, shared the experience of Slovak municipalities in terms of the impact of European legislation on their lives He emphasised that it took Slovakia many years to get there (it became a member of the EU in 2004) as EU integration is a complex and lengthy process the country becomes part of the EU legal system And its self-government sphere is not governed by EU authorities although it is subject to EU legislation in all areas which has both positive and negative impact on the functioning of municipalities Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Ukraine the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Armenia sent a question to the conference chat: “The strength of the EU is in its regions you are brave because you are ready to to discuss issues related to decentralisation honestly and openly A question for administrations working in municipalities densely populated by ethnic minorities It is well known that the EU has certain prerequisites for Ukraine's accession How can local authorities assist central and other Ukrainian authorities to fulfil the conditions set by the EU for the start of the Association discussion What are special things or methods of work there in municipalities with mixed populations Do you take into account the specific wishes of the population speaking a language other than Ukrainian both at home and in the municipalities themselves Oleksandr Sienkevych, as moderator, translated the question again and was the first to answer: “There is no language issue in Ukraine if it is not promoted by the russian media about 90% used russian; we had schools where teaching was conducted in russian we stopped teaching in russian on my instructions Schools in Mykolaiv teach exclusively in the state language," said O He stressed that many people have consciously changed their attitude to the russian language and everything russian This is the best example of how russia protects russian speakers." Oleh Bryndak, Acting Deputy Mayor of Odesa, responding to this question, said: “Odesa is a multinational city with a large Moldovan community We have never experienced any language problems the participants discussed approaches and principles for the restoration and sustainable development of municipalities their infrastructure and economy in the context of decentralisation Mathieu Mori, Secretari General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, highlighted three main aspects of recovery: international support He underlined the role of local self-government in ensuring democracy and its key role in the reconstruction of Ukraine "The Council of Europe supports the process of decentralisation and democratisation at the local level I call for a dialogue between all participants in the process of restoration and reconstruction of Ukraine," he said Oleksandr Korniienko, First Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, proposed to dot the i’s and cross the t’s in the issue of updating the social contract between local self-government and the state noting that part of the contract is already clear – security is primarily guaranteed by the state: “Unfortunately the Constitution of Ukraine does not reflect this but we understand that it is a matter of time This arrangement should be based on the European Charter of Local Self-Government local self-government must understand that in accordance with the European Charter of Local Self-Government it has not only rights but also responsibilities It is necessary to finally enshrine in the Constitution the status and guarantees for self-government and the issue of proper and "careful" supervision over the activities of local governments” He admitted that local self-government should also be involved at the level of decision-generating Anatolii Kurtiev, Acting Mayor of Zaporizhzhia, Secretary of the Zaporizhzhia City Council, presented a video about the work of Zaporizhzhia from the beginning of the full-scale invasion to the present day He underlined that the city has signed 595 memoranda with volunteers charitable foundations and international partners: “Thanks to this well-established cooperation the city is able to implement important projects help citizens affected by hostile attacks and provide decent education social protection and administrative services to city residents and IDPs.” Rostyslav Tistyk, Chair of the Subcommittee on European Integration of the Parlimentary Committee of Budget, spoke about the interaction of the Ukrainian Parliament in the context of war and legislative initiatives on sustainable development and municipality budgets Dmytro Kysylevskyi, Deputy Chair of the Committee on the Economic Development of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, spoke about municipality financing about the opportunities of municipalities to earn money for reconstruction and provide jobs for residents by creating conditions for businesses and investors He noted that the role of municipalities is significantly underestimated The mayor of municipality has a planning horizon of at least 5 years which is critical for industrial and economic development The state should also equip municipalities with economic development tools to engage municipalities in the fight for investment and financial resources for recovery Liudmyla Biriukova, Mayor of Velyka Pysarivka, (Sumy Region), spoke about the challenges that Velyka Pysarivka and other border municipalities faced in the recovery process after the full-scale invasion as well as the achievements of the municipality she leads Vitalii Bezgin, Chair of the Subcommittee on Administrative and Territorial Structure and Local Self-Government of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on the Organisation of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning, noted that the military personal income tax thanks to the Association of Ukrainian Cities remained in the budget of municipalities in 2023 according to the results of the first quarter He also noted that this year the draft law No 6504 on service in local self-governments  was adopted in its entirety stressing that this is a huge reform that will have to be carried out The second panel discussion was moderated by Anatolii Fedoruk representatives of municipalities exchanged experience from different countries on establishing partnerships for the restoration and development of Ukrainian municipalities Fabrizzio Rossi, Secretary General of the Council of Europian Municipalities and Regions, first of all expressed his condolences to Lviv, which suffered a terrible missile attack. He stressed the importance of bilateral cooperation between Ukrainian and European municipalities within the framework of the “U-LEAD with Europe” Programme with the participation of the AUC and CEMR to ensure the process of reconstruction of Ukrainian municipalities "Reconstruction is not only about rebuilding bridges it is about cooperation and long-term relationships The "Bridges of Trust" Programme is aimed at ensuring such cooperation," the speaker said Berndt Vöhringer, Lord Mayor of the City of Sindelfingen (Germany), President of the Chamber of Local Authorities of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, spoke about the "Cities4Cities" platform which in 2022 helped to address a significant number of immediate needs of Ukrainian municipalities The platform is designed not only for short-term cooperation but should also ensure long-term cooperation between Ukrainian and European municipalities He stressed the importance of such bilateral cooperation especially in the process of transforming the activities of municipalities to meet European standards Oleksandr Saiuk, Mayor of Nikopol (Dnipro Region), informed about the work of the city in waduring the warr He also emphasised that within the framework of the "Bridges of Trust" Project during a study tour to the Basque municipalities (Spain) a proposal for the restoration and reconstruction of the Nikopol Water and Sewerage Production Department was developed and that specialists from the Donostia-San Sebastian municipal campaign AMVISA which provides centralised water supply and sewerage services Oleh Stohnii, Mayor of Romny (Sumy Region), spoke about the work and life support of the Romny urban municipality since the beginning of full-scale aggression of the russian federation and shared his experience of establishing cooperation within the framework of the Project with the Italian municipality of Inveruno He also stressed the importance of regulating the issue of paying personal income tax at the place of actual location of production facilities of a particular enterprise Olha Tsytsiura, Secretary of the Zelenodolsk City Council (Dnipro Region), spoke about the work of the municipality since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the russian federation outlined the areas of cooperation with international partners to rebuild infrastructure and told about the Kryvyi Rih thermal power plant which are located on the territory of the municipality.” Andrii Horb, Mayor of Pidhorodne (Dnipro Region), spoke about the priorities and directions of the municipality development He noted the need to create a centre for veterans and their families with the possibility of psychological and physical support to implement projects to build a water supply and sewerage system in Pidhorodne Giorgio Gori, Mayor of Bergamo (Italy), spoke about a joint project to restore Bucha (Kyiv region) after the occupation by russians and provide psychological support to the population who witnessed the russians’ brutality He stressed that today Italians want to be close to Ukrainian municipalities in two ways: 1) implementation of the plan of territorial self-government and inclusive urbanisation especially for young and older generations; 2) political support The third panel discussion was moderated by Vitalii Maletskyi Oleksandr Slobozhan, Executive Director of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, summed up the results of the work and thanked all participants “A year ago, during the "reVIVEd Ukraine - reVIVEd Communities" Forum we approved an appeal to our foreign partners from Ukrainian municipalities to support Ukraine's movement towards the European Union and grant Ukraine candidate status the European Parliament and the European Commission have adopted a number of documents that set out the approaches and principles of supporting Ukraine in its recovery and on its way to the European Union It is important that all the documents of the European institutions contain provisions on the importance of developing local self-government in Ukraine and continuing the decentralisation reform for Ukraine's European integration Currently, all offline and online participants have received a draft document – the Manifesto which confirms the position of the Conference participants from the Ukrainian side on the movement towards European standards All participants can provide their suggestions and comments to the draft after which we will publish the Manifesto and start the next stage of cooperation European integration of Ukraine and development of local self-government On behalf of the Association of Ukrainian Cities I would like to thank our partners – the municipalitis of the European Union and local self-government associations – for supporting Ukraine in the fight against the russian aggressor for systematic support of local self-government sustainable development of municipalities and for supporting Ukraine on its path to European integration!" The Conference was organised by the Association of Ukrainian Cities within the framework of the "Promoting comprehensive municipality development through analytics dialogue and international cooperation" Project implemented with the support of the “U-LEAD with Europe” Programme The Ukrainian version is available here