Ukraine’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Matvii Bidnyi, together with Italy’s Minister for Sport and Youth Policies Andrea Abodi, signed a Joint Action Plan for 2026–2027 in Lviv.
According to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the document is a logical continuation of the memorandum signed last year in Rome and sets out practical steps to support Ukraine’s sports sector and youth policy during the war.
“Signing the Joint Action Plan for 2026–2027 is an important step in continuing Ukrainian-Italian partnership in the fields of youth and sports. It is important for us that this partnership is being filled with practical content: joint programs, exchanges, support for sports infrastructure, the development of integrity in sports, and new opportunities for young people,” said Matvii Bidnyi.
Key areas of cooperation in sports over the next two years include:
- promotion of mass sports: launching a training program for Ukrainian coaches together with Italian experts from Sport e Salute;
- digitalization of sports infrastructure: joint audit of Ukrainian sports facilities, assessment of needs, and professional training for sports administrators;
- sports integrity: development of a joint handbook on ethics and countering manipulation in sports;
- youth and sports exchanges: launch of the “Camp Futuro Online” project, combining online learning with preparation for in-person bilateral camps where sport serves as a foundation for cultural cooperation among teenagers.
“Investment in the new Ukraine must begin with youth—the present and future of a country determined to rebuild. Youth policy, financial transparency in sports, training of personnel and scientific research, as well as the restoration of sports infrastructure—these will be the first concrete steps in implementing the Action Plan,” said Andrea Abodi.
In Lviv, the ministers also opened the cultural and sports center “Casa Italia” — a space where children who are war orphans can find support through movement and creativity.
