On 12 November, the results of our first contest, «Best Community Leader of Ukraine», were announced at the NIBULON central office.
The contest committee, consisting of experts in the field of sustainable development, reviewed 23 applications and evaluated each participant’s report on a 100-point scale. The results reflected an unbiased rating of this year’s nominees, the top ten of whom will receive their well-deserved awards and gifts from the contest partners.
Who became the «Best Community Leader of Ukraine» in 2025?
We will find out on 20 November at the official award ceremony, which will take place at 15:00 in the Admiral Hall column hall, located at 7/11 Khreshchatyk Street, Kyiv.
All the nominated community heads are already on their way and in contact with our coordinators. We are pleased that the heads of the communities in which their starosta district operates will also be present to support our participants. The award ceremony will be attended by more than 200 mayors and regional leaders from across Ukraine as part of the All-Ukrainian Mayors’ Summit.
In addition to symbolic gold and silver awards, the 10 winners of the contest will also receive valuable personal certificates from the project’s diamond partner, ZARINA Jewellery House, and annual certificates for the implementation of a refurbishment project for their starosta district from NIBULON.
While our nominees eagerly await this extraordinary event, we have compiled the jury members’ initial conclusions about the results of the competition for you.
«The launch of the Best Community Leader of Ukraine contest and award is a landmark event for the development of the local self-government system. Following the decentralisation reform, it is the starostas who have become the link that directly connects the community with the authorities, business, and the public sector. The effectiveness of community management depends on their activity, leadership, and ability to work with stakeholders, which is very important for our state right now», – says Hanna Duginets, Doctor of Economics, Professor and co-founder of the International Association for the Future of Ukraine.
«I am grateful to NIBULON for the opportunity to be part of the jury for such a contest and wonderful initiative as «Best Community Leader of Ukraine – 2025».
When evaluating the reports of the community heads, it was extremely pleasant to read about the achievements of each and every one of them and to see their contribution to the development of their districts. This initiative is extremely important because it promotes understanding of the principles of sustainable development, teaches how to apply sustainable practices in daily activities, and improves the disclosure of non-financial information.
I hope that such initiatives will continue to develop, attracting more and more stakeholders and supporting the development of every district, village, and community in Ukraine», – emphasises Ksenia Bagriy, director of the sustainability consulting company AVgroup.
«If we talk about the details of the reports submitted to our first contest for community heads, we can already highlight some points that are common to almost all participants. These include the virtual absence of environmental projects initiated by the community itself. There is also a great need for medicine, logistics infrastructure, mobile communications, administrative service centres, assistance to internally displaced persons, families of defenders, and children. On the other hand, all village heads are extremely motivated and try to fulfil their duties to the best of their ability and meet the needs of the residents of their villages. Therefore, I consider this contest to be another effective tool for researching the state of communities and helping to implement the projects they need, and I believe it is extremely necessary and timely», – continues Mykhailo Pantyushenko, head of occupational safety and sustainable development at NIBULON, echoing the opinion of the contest committee members.
«It is very impressive that communities are now starting to work on a completely different level. We talk to them about sustainable development, social responsibility, and long-term impact. This contest has become an important tool for supporting local initiatives that not only address current needs, but also lay the foundation for sustainable change in their communities», – concludes Yana Koniok, chair of the contest jury and executive director of the Association of Sustainable Development Experts.
We would like to remind you that for those village heads who did not have time to participate in the main part of the contest, registration for the special nomination «Building the Future of Ukraine Together!» is still open until 16 November at the link.
Come to the official ceremony announcing the results of the first annual «Best Community Leader of Ukraine» contest and award from NIBULON this Thursday, 20 November, and find out which nominees are most effective in working towards sustainable development goals in their communities!
