The strengthening of friendship and cooperation between the twin towns of Jõhvi and Olecko

2026-07-22

The Jõhvi-Olecko twinning project is designed to deepen cultural, educational, and community ties between Jõhvi, Estonia, and Olecko, Poland. It promotes interaction through a series of structured activities such as official delegations, hackathons, sports events, and cultural festivals. Notably, Olecko’s Active Festival and Honey and Milk Festival will play a key role in engaging the public, increasing visibility, and fostering international collaboration. The project methodology includes official receptions to enhance government-level partnerships and non-formal interactions, such as football matches and concerts, to involve broader communities from both towns. The hackathons will encourage collaboration beyond the municipality level, generating new projects among NGOs and other groups. The inclusion of festivals like Olecko’s Active Festival and Honey and Milk Festival will further integrate local Polish citizens with guests from Estonia, boosting the visibility of cooperation and ensuring participation of the wider public. The initiative also emphasizes sustainability, building on the long-term partnership established in 2006. Although there had been little EU-level collaboration in the past, this project sets the stage for future joint projects, broadening the network of twinned towns, including potential future collaborations with cities like Ogre in Latvia and Loimaa in Finland. Gender equality and non-discrimination are key considerations throughout the project, ensuring all activities promote equal representation and opportunities for all participants, including those from marginalized groups. In the longer term, the project envisions sustained cooperation between the towns, ongoing cultural exchanges, and new collaborations, with the potential to apply for additional EU funding to expand these initiatives further. This creates lasting impacts for both communities and enhances the mutual trust and cross-border cooperation between the EU countries.

Estonia

2025-12-01