How teenagers are changing their cities: the experience of Sweden and Ukraine

During the years of the full-scale invasion, the number of young people in Ukraine has decreased by a quarter, from almost 10 million to 7.6 million. At the same time, young people are critically important for the development and building of the country: young people are active and creative, able to work, can create businesses and work in management positions, and develop cities. That is why it is important to involve young people in development and decision-making today .

Ukraine is implementing such initiatives, but they need to be more systematic. Sweden recognizes the importance of investing in young people and involving them in local decision-making and has created institutional mechanisms of influence as full-fledged partners of municipalities.

The participation of Swedish youth in urban development planning is enshrined in law and contributes to the long-term development of individual cities and the country as a whole. The most illustrative examples are Stockholm and Gothenburg.