On Sunday, January 12, during the mayor’s New Year’s address, Sailly-lez-Lannoy, a commune in the European Metropolis of Lille in the Hauts-de-France region, and the community of Semenivka in the Zhytomyr Oblast of Ukraine, formalized their partnership by signing their twinning oath. This commitment seals a unique story of cooperation and solidarity between two small-scale communities, which began more than two years ago.
In 2017, Sailly-lez-Lannoy launched a community participation initiative where residents could present projects of general interest, supported and facilitated by local officials, in a co-construction and shared governance approach: the Fabrique Saillysienne. The idea of establishing a formal connection with Ukraine originated from the residents themselves and aligned with the Fabrique’s philosophy. The Twinning Project Group, composed of engaged citizens and elected representatives, was a critical factor in its success.
Faced with the tragedy of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there was a strong desire to act swiftly and concretely. The residents of Sailly-lez-Lannoy organized multiple solidarity efforts, including donation drives, shipments of aid, and events promoting Ukrainian culture. Since early 2022, the Twinning Group has organized 18 key events focused on Ukraine.
Despite significant logistical and organizational challenges—Sailly is a village of just 1,900 residents—the determination was clear. Among the cities supported by the NGO Cities4Cities, which connects European and Ukrainian municipalities, one application stood out: Semenivka. Their motto, “Сильні разом” (“Strong Together”), resonated deeply with Sailly’s ethos, “Village at Heart.”
The friendship between the two communities began with a simple yet symbolic gesture: sending bicycles to the children of Semenivka, whose school buses had been requisitioned for the Ukrainian army. This was followed by virtual working sessions on exchanging best practices and identifying shared areas of focus. In November 2023, a resident of Sailly was welcomed in Semenivka and represented the village at the Municipal Partnerships Forum in Lviv. Each meeting and exchange strengthens the ties between these two rural communities, united by a shared vision of using collective intelligence and civic participation to serve the greater good.
On Sunday, the event gathered residents, local officials, a Ukrainian delegation that traveled specifically for the occasion, and political figures such as Minister Charlotte Parmentier-Lecoq and Frédéric Petit, Member of Parliament for French citizens abroad. Eric Skyronka, Mayor of Sailly-lez-Lannoy, highlighted the importance of this partnership:
“Honoring Ukrainians means reflecting on our own responsibilities as global citizens. Their fight against the invasion of their country reminds us of the universal importance of human rights, freedom, and international solidarity.”
Natalia Semeniuk, Mayor of Semenivka, was deeply moved and impressed by the “warm” and “family-like” welcome from the people of Sailly, as her community mourns its 41st defender lost since the war began. This pact of friendship, signed between the two towns, stands as a testament to solid and lasting support. Establishing connections between French and Ukrainian towns is at the heart of our MistoMatch initiative, which aims to support these partnerships by fostering reconstruction, development in Ukraine, and collaborative projects with French municipalities.
This twinning demonstrates that solidarity and friendship can be built even in the most challenging circumstances. It highlights the power of small communities to play an essential role on the international stage.
So, why not you? Like Sailly and Semenivka, every municipality can build bridges and transform mutual aid into a genuine story of friendship.
