With the support of the Strong Communities and Water Bodies of Ukraine Public Organisation, the Association of Sustainable Development Experts, the International Association for the Future of Ukraine, and the AV Group sustainable development consulting company, NIBULON has awarded the top ten winners of the «Best Community Leader of Ukraine» competition.

This year, the silver award for effective work on socio-economic and cultural projects in their communities went to the following village heads:

• Olha Nekrasa, Halahanivskyi Starostynskyi Okrug, Chyhyrynska City Council, Cherkasy Oblast

• Liudmyla Alandzhii, Dobrozhanivskyi Starostynskyi Okrug, Vradiivska Territorial Community, Mykolaiv Oblast

• Larysa Kolomiichenko, Chaikivskyi Starostynskyi Okrug, Vradiivska Settlement Council, Mykolaiv Oblast

• Serhii Mykolayenko, Luzanivskyi Starostynskyi Okrug, Kamianska City Territorial Community, Cherkasy Oblast

• Valentyna Zubachenko, Topylivskyi Starostynskyi Okrug, Sahunivska Territorial Community, Cherkasy Oblast

• Tetiana Moroz, Mutynskyi Starostynskyi Okrug, Krolevetska City Territorial Community, Sumy Oblast

• Olha Ryzhuk, Velykoostrozhetskyi Starostynskyi Okrug, Ulanivska Territorial Community, Vinnytsia Oblast

The best community leaders of the year were awarded gold medals:

• Nataliia Kucherenko, Novohryhorivskyi Starostynskyi Okrug, City of Voznesensk, Mykolaiv Oblast

• Lidiia Mykhailiuk, Starostynskyi Okrug No. 1, Balta City Council, Balta United Territorial Community, Odesa Oblast

• Antonina Vadaturska, Starostynskyi Okrug No. 6, Balta Community, Odesa Oblast

The official award ceremony took place on 20 November 2025 in the column hall of the Trade Union Centre of Ukraine in Kyiv as part of the II All-Ukrainian Summit of Mayors. Here, the local leaders had the opportunity not only to communicate in person with more than 200 community leaders and mayors from all over Ukraine, but also to receive information useful for the development of their own starosta districts from expert speakers on investment and grant financing, educational programmes for the development of rural regions from the country’s leading universities, advice on the creative economy of villages from architects, and guidance on supporting veterans from our military.

During the summit, with the support of NIBULON, all community leaders participating in the competition had the opportunity to visit our city free of charge and enjoy the beauty of Kyiv sunrises from the comfortable rooms of the Dnipro Hotel in the heart of the capital. All winners also received annual certificates from the company to undertake refurbishment projects in their respective starosta districts. And the diamond partner of the competition, ZARINA Jewellery House, presented the ten best starostas of the year with valuable certificates for gold and silver jewellery.

All winners also received annual certificates from the company to undertake refurbishment projects in their respective starosta districts. And the diamond partner of the competition, ZARINA Jewellery House, presented the ten best starostas of the year with valuable certificates for gold and silver jewellery.

In this fierce competition, it was extremely difficult for the competition committee to determine the winners, but the finalists were community heads who paid more attention during the year to environmental projects, cooperation with international grant-making institutions, the development of Ukrainian national identity, and their own education in the field of sustainable development.

In March next year, the start of applications for the 2026 «Best Community Leader of Ukraine» competition will be announced. With the agreement of the organising committee and partners, it will be much larger than this year’s and will cover more than 100 communities in Ukraine. Before that, our ESG team has planned several more useful educational opportunities for community leaders.

So, once again, we sincerely congratulate the winners and participants of the «Best Community Leader of Ukraine» competition on their well-deserved recognition and look forward to seeing you in the new season!