'It Is Through Personal Connections that Lasting Friendships between Cities Begin,' Said Mayor Serhii Morhunov Regarding the Trip by Schoolchildren from Vinnytsia to Münster

This trip is for those who have already taken on responsibilities at school: in student councils, media groups, sports teams and various initiatives. They represent their schools whilst remaining open to new experiences – listening attentively, asking questions and jotting down ideas.

'These are active young people who have joined the ‘Leaders’ Camp’ project. Over the course of eight days, the children will visit partner schools, get to know the local educational environment and interact with their peers. For both our communities, such friendly visits are a good investment in the future. After all, it is through personal encounters that lasting friendships between cities and communities begin. This is exactly how horizontal ties are formed. I would like to thank our partners from Münster – Rotary Club Münster 1648, ASB RV Münsterland e.V., Stadt Münster – as well as everyone who has joined this initiative,' emphasised Vinnytsia Mayor Serhii Morhunov.

The Department of Education notes that such visits broaden the scope of partnerships between schools and enrich cooperation through direct communication between pupils and teachers.

'Joint projects and lively interaction between pupils and teachers within the framework of this cooperation will help us learn more about the history and culture of our partner countries,' said Oksana Yatsenko, Director of the Department of Education.

Nine students from each school took part. Participants were selected from among those who are actively involved in school life.

‘These are the leaders – presidents of the student council, members of the student parliament, members of the editorial team of the school newspaper, and students who take part in sports and other activities. Proficiency in English was a mandatory requirement, and knowledge of German is also welcome. Our host organisation wants the children to engage in lively communication with their peers from other countries. We understand that it will primarily be in English, but our students are proficient in both English and German. They are going to gain experience, get to know a new culture and, I hope, bring back many new ideas,' says Anna Romanova, headteacher of Vinnytsia Lyceum No. 7.

The participants plan to focus on the teaching process, the work of school teams and interaction between pupils.

‘I want to make the most of this trip: to see how the teaching process is organised, how school projects work, and how pupils interact with one another. It will be interesting to see what we can adapt for our school. I hope to bring back ideas that will be useful not only for our lyceum but also for the city as a whole,' says Platon Muliar, a student at Vinnytsia Technical Lyceum.

Upon their return, the students plan to apply the experience they have gained in their own schools and join further joint initiatives.