On 10 December 2021, the All-Ukrainian Youth Centre hosted the final 2021 meeting of the Sectoral Working Group on Coordination of International Technical Assistance in Youth and Sports (hereinafter the SWG) in a hybrid format chaired by Andrii Chesnokov, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine for European Integration, and Jaime Nadal, Representative of the United Nations Population Fund in Ukraine, with the participation of development partners, including representatives of international agencies, diplomatic missions and other organisations. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Minister Maryna Popatenko, Vitalii Lavrov, Deputy Minister for Digital Development, Digital Transformations and Digitisation, and Oleksandr Sanchenko, MP of Ukraine.

During the first session of the meeting, Oleksandr Sanchenko and Maryna Popatenko presented the results of the SWG in 2021 and plans for 2022. It was emphasised that the joint efforts with development partners allowed to achieve significant progress in the implementation of the Law of Ukraine “On Basic Principles of Youth Policy”, namely the development of draft youth policies. 

“Our shared responsibility is to continue the work started and support the Ministry next year, applying a holistic and strategic vision in planning, implementing and enforcing our measures to achieve all strategic results within the ambitious agenda set by the Law of Ukraine “On Basic Principles of Youth Policy”, the State Target Social Programme “Youth of Ukraine” for 2021-2025, as well as the Strategy for the Development of Physical Culture and Sports until 2028. We believe that with so many partners, there is a great commitment to implementing the changes we want to make for a better future for young people and developing the sports agenda in the country,” said Jaime Nadal.

Yehor Matiukhin, Adviser to the Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, presented the audience with the concept for the development of city parks, which are useful places for both leisure and sports as well as street activities popular among young people in Ukraine. The Ministry of Youth and Sports was emphasised to work to find and implement new approaches to improve the fitness level of the population. 

During the event, plans and steps of joint efforts of the SWG for 2022 were discussed, including the activities of the Ukrainian Youth Fund, the National Youth Council, youth infrastructure development, recognition of the youth worker as a profession and more.

Vitalii Lavrov presented the results of a sociological study on the impact of e-sports on youth and the latest developments of the Ministry of Youth and Sports on the digitisation of physical culture and sports. Ukraine was noted to be one of the few European countries where e-sports is officially recognised by the state.

“The Ministry demonstrates transparency and openness to constructive proposals, allowing to find synergies and common points of contact with development partners within the SWG. The priorities of our Ministry continue to be the principles of integrity, non-discrimination, anti-corruption and good governance in sports,” said Andrii Chesnokov.