By: Cornelia Walles, Communications Associate
The Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI) hosted a 3,5 days long training programme in Lund from October 20th to 24th, for 27 participants from Lviv, Ukraine, as part of the EUcation – Urban Governance for Human Rights and EU Integration project. The initiative is implemented in partnership with Lund University, the Lviv Bureau of European Integration, and the Ukrainian Catholic University, and funded by the Swedish Institute.
The EUcation project aims to strengthen Lviv’s urban governance and planning capacities by training local officials to integrate human rights principles, with a focus on the rights of veterans and persons with disabilities, into city development, in the context of Ukraine’s EU accession process.
Zuzana Zalanova, Senior Advisor, Lund Office and Tatsiana Rahozina, Junior Programme Officer, Lund Office
Focus of the Training
The objectives of the training in Lund were to strengthen participants’ capabilities to work in a problem-driven manner, gain deeper understanding of how to apply and integrate human rights principles in the city planning processes, and learn about relevant practices in creating inclusive and barrier-free urban environments from peers working at Swedish municipalities. During the time in Lund, participants also had an opportunity to acquire deeper knowledge about the EU, EU accession experiences and relevant EU opportunities for European cities.
Programme Highlights
The week featured a range of lectures, workshops, and study visits. At RWI, experts Zuzana Zalanova and Hanna Johnsson introduced the participants to the programme and led sessions on the Problem and Objective Tree methodology, including group work and peer labs. Anna Bruce delivered two sessions on human rights in city planning, focusing on how to integrate equality and accessibility into urban development. Participants shared their own experiences and reflected on challenges and opportunities related to inclusive planning. Anna also guided the group in analysing public spaces through the equality dimensions. Additionally, Zuzana presented an overview of the EU frameworks that support human rights-based urban development.
At Lund University, participants were welcomed by Alexandra Hertz and Christina Palmgren, and visited the Faculty of Humanities and Theology (LUX). Anamaria Dutceac Segesten and Iveri Kekenadze Gustafsson led a session on the EU accession process and lessons learned from previous enlargement experiences.
Yuliia Katynska, Deputy Director at Lviv Bureau of EU Integration
Study Visits
A study visit to Helsingborg provided practical insights into inclusive urban development. Torgny Johansson, Cecilia Fredriksen, and Moa Sundberg from Helsingborg Stad presented the JämtJämlikt project and discussed accessibility guidelines, public transport, and urban development strategies. The group toured the new Oceanhamnen district, followed by a visit to Drottninghög, where Mikaela Åberg and Samir Kafedzic from Helsingborgshem presented the area’s transformation and community development initiatives.
Participants also visited Europa Direkt Lund, where Kristina Hrbinic, Lilly Diamant, My Forssander, Edwin Ögren, presented the work of Europa Direkt to the participants. During the meeting with Europa Direkt, Acting Director of the Lviv Bureau of European Integration Yuliia Katynska presented the work of the Bureau, the services the Bureau provides and the activities it carries out.
Finally, the group met representatives from Lund Municipality, including Joana Ivarsson Vitório, Josefin Håkansson, Julia Börjesson, Ulrika Sörell, and Oleksandr Volodin, who presented the municipality’s work in the fields of accessibility and inclusion, through municipal social sustainability strategy, and different projects, such as Fast Care Ukraine-Lund, and methods such as the Nordan model.
Participant Reflections and Takeaways
At the end of the workshop, participants highlighted their key learnings and takeaways from the week:
“My biggest takeaways from the EUcation programme so far are a deeper understanding of European integration processes and how EU standards and values can be applied at the local level. I have learned the importance of transparency, participation, and human rights in urban governance, as well as practical ways to incorporate these principles into everyday work, project planning, and communication with residents. The programme also emphasized the value of collaboration, reflection, and adapting European experiences to the Ukrainian context.
“My biggest learnings from the EUcation programme so far are the importance of inclusion, accessibility, and human rights in local governance. I understood how EU standards and values can guide cities in creating equal opportunities for all citizens. I also learned how collaboration between authorities, communities, and organizations is key to successfully implementing these principles. The programme inspired me to think about how these ideas can be applied in my own city.”
“The key takeaways from the EUcation program are that accessibility includes both physical access and inclusive attitudes; small steps can lead to meaningful change; and cooperation between sectors is essential. Practical tools, like the cause-and-effect tree, help plan concrete actions, and combining personal and professional experience enhances the impact of my work. The program also provided a better understanding of Ukraine’s EU accession process and the standards that need to be met.”
Next Steps:
Prior to leaving Lund, participants were tasked with developing a small-scale feasible individual initiative that would contribute to the integration of a human rights-based approach in their direct working environment. To support participants in the development and implementation of these initiatives, project partners will convene several in-person and online meetings during the period of November 2025-February 2026. In spring 2026, EUcation participants, experts, and organisers will meet in Poland. During this second training, participants will present their initiatives, and also take part in the meetings with relevant stakeholders from Polish municipalities, CSOs, and academia. Furthermore, the training in Poland, based on participants’ feedback from the evaluation, will emphasize practical strategies for implementing human rights–based approach and enhancing accessibility in local context.
The project was made possible with the support of the Swedish Institute (SI). RWI gratefully acknowledges SI’s commitment to advancing human rights capacity in the region.
Learn more about the project at: Our work in Ukraine – The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
Learn more about and contact RWI experts on Ukraine and Human Rights Cities : Zuzana Zalanova, Hanna Johnsson, Tatsiana Rahozina and Anna Bruce.
Learn more about our partners: Lund University, Faculty of Humanities and Theology (LUX), the Lviv Bureau of EU Integration, and the Ukrainian Catholic University.