AER President Dr Hande Özsan Bozatli and H.R.H Prince Laurent of Belgium visited the Ukrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk last week. The region is a key AER member in Eastern Europe and a partner for bridging with other regions from the area through the AER office that recently opened. The delegation met with high ranking officials including Mr Udod Evgeniy Grigoryevich, Chairman of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council, Mr Oleksandr Vilkul, Former Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and the Ambassador of Belgium to the Ukraine, Mr Luc Jacobs. The visit was organized in the framework of AER’s continued efforts to promote regional democracy as building block for Europe. The delegation visited a school for hearing impaired children and took part in the release of a baby sturgeon as a symbol of peace and prosperity. In addition, H.R.H. Prince Laurent of Belgium capture the attention of students and young people at the Dnipropetrovsk National University where he spoke of the impacts of climate change on the environment, a cause which he fervently defends with the AER.