Visit of the Head of Agência Nacional Erasmus+ Juventude/Desporto e Corpo Europeu de Solidariedade to Ukraine (2–5.04.2025, Lviv – Ivano-Frankivsk)

From 2 to 5 April 2025, Luís ALVEIS, Head of Agência Nacional Erasmus+ Juventude/Desporto e Corpo Europeu de Solidariedade, carried out an official mission to Ukraine as part of the launch of Lviv – European Youth Capital 2025. The National Erasmus+ Office – Ukraine coordinated the visit preparation in close cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Ukraine and the Bureau for European Integration of Lviv City Council.

The mission focused on meetings in Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk with authorities, public, private, and civil society organisations active in the fields of education, youth, and sport. Mr. ALVEIS met with Ukrainian stakeholders to explore potential areas of cooperation, discuss emerging needs during martial law, and possibilities to build long-term partnerships between youth agents from Portugal and Ukraine through the EU’s Erasmus+ Programme and the European Solidarity Corps.

This visit marked Mr ALVEIS’s second mission to Ukraine since the beginning of russia’s brutal full-scale invasion to Ukraine. (You can read more about the first visit here.)

During the visit, Mr ALVEIS engaged in high-level meetings with Glenn MICALLEF, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport; Matviy BIDNYI, Minister of Youth and Sport of Ukraine; Andriy CHESNOKOV, Deputy Minister; as well as with representatives of national and international institutions and state and local authorities involved in shaping youth policy and cooperation with the EU.

From 2 to 5 April, Svitlana SHYTIKOVA, Coordinator of the National Erasmus+ Office – Ukraine, and Kateryna ZHDANOVA, Senior Manager, Coordinator for youth and sport actions, together with partners, facilitated an intensive programme of events and institutional meetings:

• 2 April: EU’s Erasmus+ Programme Information Day “Building Links Between Ukraine and Portugal in the Field of Youth” (Ivano-Frankivsk)
• 2 April: Meeting with the Rector and Team of the Relocated Kherson State University (Ivano-Frankivsk)
• 2 April: Meeting with City Council and Participants of the “Youth&Government” Municipal Programme (Ivano-Frankivsk)
• 3 April: Meeting with the Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and Visits to Lviv Open Lab, Youth Space “Vidkryti”, and the Bosco Vocational Education Centre (Lviv)
• 3 April: Official Opening of Lviv – European Youth Capital and meetings (Lviv)
• 4 April: Visits and Meetings with the Teams of Urban Camp, National Rehabilitation Centre UNBROKEN, Interregional Vocational School of Automotive Transport and Construction, and Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (Lviv)
• 4 April: Signing Memorandum of Cooperation between the National Erasmus+ Office – Ukraine and Agência Nacional Erasmus+ Juventude/Desporto e Corpo Europeu de Solidariedade – Portugal (Lviv)
• 4 April: Evening of Remembrance of Heros who were killed duirng russia’s war against Ukraine (Lviv)
• 5 April: Grand Opening of Activities devoted to Lviv – European Youth Capital 2025 (Lviv)

The National Erasmus+ Office – Ukraine, in partnership with the Agência Nacional Erasmus+ Juventude/Desporto e Corpo Europeu de Solidariedadeto, prepsred a comprehensive programme that promoted valuable dialogue and future cooperation within formal, non-formal, and informal education and youth work. The delegation focused on institutional capacity-building actions, youth and youth workers mobility, cooperation partnerships and otrher opportunities under Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps.

The meetings included thematic information sessions and consultations on Erasmus+ calls for proposals. Participants discussed ideas for youth exchanges, training for youth workers and leaders, and institutional cooperation projects. Mr ALVEIS also presented the Portuguese agency’s experience of partnering with Ukrainian institutions, highlighted open opportunities for collaboration, and expressed readiness to support project design and partner search. He proposed several concrete initiatives, including a youth debate event between Portugal and Ukraine in Lviv in August 2025, mobility visits of Ukrainian youth to attend international youth and sport events in Portugal with the support of the Agência Nacional Erasmus+ Juventude/Desporto e Corpo Europeu de Solidariedade.

Ukrainian participants expressed strong interest in future collaboration, shared good practices, and discussed project concepts for upcoming Erasmus+ calls. The National Erasmus+ Office – Ukraine provided expert consultations during each meeting and outlined next steps for practical cooperation.

In parallel, Svitlana SHYTIKOVA held meetings with the teams of Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas, Donbas National Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture (relocated to Ivano-Frankivsk and merged into IFNTUOG), and King Danylo University, discussing current projects situation and ways to increase their participation in Erasmus+.

The meetings in Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk offered a valuable platform for direct dialogue, exchange of knowledge, and sustainable partnership development. Stakeholders strengthened links within the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Programmes, shaping a foundation for long-term collaboration in education, youth and sport.

For Mr. ALVEIS, this mission confirmed the importance of visiting Ukraine now, cooperating directly with local partners, and introducing Portuguese youth to the significant strength, resilience and vision of Ukraine’s young generation during martial law.

Moving Forward Together!