Lviv welcomed a delegation from its German partner city of Freiburg. The parties discussed new areas of economic and investment cooperation, as well as the development of joint projects within the UNBROKEN Cities Network.
The delegation included Nicole Horstkötter, Head of the Mayor’s Office of Freiburg; Hanna Böhme, Executive Director of the Association of Industrial Companies of Baden-Württemberg (WVIB); and representatives of German businesses.
The purpose of the visit was to introduce German partners to Lviv’s technological and industrial potential and discuss new opportunities for cooperation. The delegation visited the technology company Roboneers, Lviv IT Cluster, and the Formatsiia.Lviv industrial park.
The delegation also met with representatives of the Lviv City Council’s Investment and Projects Department, the European Business Association’s Lviv office, and the Lviv Chamber of Commerce and Industry. German partners were presented with the city’s investment projects and the opportunities offered by German Desk to support German companies.
Freiburg Joins the UNBROKEN Cities Network
Another important area of the partnership was Freiburg’s accession to the UNBROKEN Cities Network. On August 6, Martin Horn, Mayor of Freiburg im Breisgau, and Andriy Sadovyi, Mayor of Lviv, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation.
The network brings cities together to cooperate on resilience, share experience in responding to crises, and implement joint educational initiatives. With Freiburg’s accession, the network now includes 19 cities, in addition to Lviv.
“It is a great honor for us that our partner city has stood by us for so many years. This is an example for other cities of what it means to be a true partner in such difficult times,” said Lviv City Mayor Andriy Sadovyy.
Martin Horn emphasized that support for Ukraine should be demonstrated not only through words but also through concrete projects.
“We need not only words, but also action. We want to implement concrete projects in the fields of education, the economy, business, culture, and support for children,” said the Mayor of Freiburg.
According to Horn, the partnership between the two cities has lasted for more than 45 years.
“In these difficult times, we need to strengthen our partnership even further. The people of Freiburg have supported Lviv for many years and will continue to do so,” Martin Horn added.
More Than 45 Years of Partnership
Lviv and Freiburg officially established their partnership in 1989. The German city is one of Lviv’s most active international partners and has supported the city in the fields of healthcare, education, social initiatives, and humanitarian assistance.
Among the key joint projects are:
- €500,000 toward the construction of one of the floors of the UNBROKEN rehabilitation center;
- the “NaDiia — Hope and Action” charitable initiative, which raised €40,000, with an additional €60,000 contributed by the Freiburg City Council;
- €100,000 toward the restoration of Lviv Lyceum No. 5 following a Russian attack;
- annual summer camps in Freiburg for children from Lviv;
- €1 million in funding for the creation of the Unbroken Art Workshop, an art space for veterans and wounded Ukrainians;
- regular professional exchanges between educators and local government representatives.
Martin Horn has served as Mayor of Freiburg im Breisgau since 2018 and was re-elected in 2026. He places particular emphasis on sustainable development, environmental protection, and international cooperation, and describes the partnership with Lviv as one of the important examples of European solidarity with Ukraine.
The delegation also included Hanna Böhme, Executive Director of WVIB and daughter of Rolf Böhme, who was Mayor of Freiburg when the partnership between the two cities was established.
“It is a great honor for me to be back in Lviv and to see how much the friendship between our cities has grown stronger, especially at this extremely difficult time for Ukraine,” said Hanna Böhme.
The partnership between Lviv and Freiburg is developing across several areas — from support for the UNBROKEN rehabilitation ecosystem and educational initiatives to engagement with German businesses, investment projects, and technological cooperation.
Photo: Lviv City Council
