Ukraine and Italy sign Memorandum of Understanding on Youth and Sports

In the framework of the URC2025 Ukraine Recovery Conference, during the panel discussion “From Policy to Action: Ecosystem for Youth Development, Sports as a Bridge between Generations”, in the presence of Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Andrea Abodi, Minister for Sport and Youth of Italy, and Matvii Bidnyi, Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of youth, sports and physical activity.

The common goal is to further strengthen the already excellent bilateral relations through structured cooperation in the fields of physical activity, sport and youth, as well as to support Ukraine's European integration in the field of youth and sports policy.

In particular, the Memorandum aims to promote cooperation between the two countries on the basis of reciprocity and mutual benefit in the training and education of athletes, coaches and sports managers, as well as in the fight against doping, hate speech, both online and offline, match-fixing, illegal betting and other threats to the integrity of sport.

The agreement also provides for forms of cooperation in dual career support programs and the exchange of information and best practices in the field of youth policy.
“We stand by Ukraine and will continue to do so,” said Andrea Abodi. "In particular, we support its youth and sports ecosystem. Young people should not only be the ones who benefit from the recovery process, but also the main drivers and participants in the reconstruction and revival of this war-torn land, which should be rebuilt with their participation and for them. As we look to the future, our ambition is to create opportunities not only to rebuild physical infrastructure such as youth spaces and sports facilities, but also to invest in the intangible infrastructure, such as the human capital of the Ukrainian people, who have suffered and continue to suffer the grave consequences of russian aggression. The values of life, respect for national sovereignty and the right to peace are the fundamental elements that will give us the strength to put an end to this destruction and help us write a new chapter in Ukrainian history through full intergovernmental cooperation."

Minister Matvii Bidnyi noted: "We are grateful to Italy for a sustainable partnership - in sports, on the international arena, in solidarity and in acts of humanity. Today we are talking about joint actions, joint decision-making and joint responsibility - and about young people who are the co-creators of our present."

"We live in a time when war and transformation affect every generation. But it is in times like these that new solidarity, new solutions, and new energy for action emerge. I firmly believe that youth and intergenerational cohesion, strengthened by the power of sport, should become the basis of a strategic dialogue between Ukraine and the European Union," emphasized Matvii Bidnyi.

The Memorandum of Understanding will be valid for three years with the possibility of extension for another three years and provides for the establishment of a joint steering committee to ensure the achievement of the expected results.