Ten cities competed in the final stage of the "Youth Capital of Ukraine 2026" competition. Dnipro emerged as the winner - for the first time since the full-scale invasion began, the title went to a new community.
The award was presented at a forum in Kyiv, where the President of Ukraine, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, and the Prime Minister spoke. Mayor Borys Filatov received the award on behalf of the city.
The winner was announced by the Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, Matvii Bidnyi:
It is incredibly pleasant to emphasize that this year the winner was an incredible city which, despite its proximity to the front, maintains an incredible youth vibe. Incredibly active youth centers, a Youth Council, and a huge number of cool projects are being implemented. It truly feels like a youth capital.
Dnipro is a frontline city constantly attacked by Russians. According to Mayor Filatov, the city has hosted the largest number of internally displaced persons in the country.
Commenting on the victory, Filatov stated:
This is confirmation of our many years of work and further proof that youth policy is much more than slogans about 'our future' and 'driving force.' For us, as a frontline city constantly attacked by Russians, and which has taken in the largest number of displaced people in the country, it is objectively more difficult to manage various youth programs. Because it's not just competitions and festivals. It's a long-term and consistent policy in all spheres. And I, for example, am sincerely proud of how we reformed vocational education in Dnipro. And not only that.
