The cooperation of Kiev and Istanbul in the sphere of education, formation and development of the “Shoulder to shoulder in the sphere of education” international project for realization of this goal is shown in this digest.

The meeting with my Istanbul colleague Omer Balibey turned out to be wonderful. Half an hour of sincere conversation and the cooperation project of Kiev and Istanbul in the sphere of education was born. The project owing to which thousands of children, teachers, scientists, businessmen and employees communicate, study and rest. Only several years have passed and so many events, histories, things have already happened. You will see this in the documents, photos and reminiscences.
We practically have friends among colleagues in the whole world, we created quite a few other professional projects but it is in the “Shoulder to shoulder in the sphere of education” project that Omer and I managed to contribute the most of our souls and hopes. Exactly this makes people happy. I am embracing you, my Turkish brother. The flight goes on. The educational flight “Kiev – Istanbul” and “Istanbul – Kiev” has become regular.

Boris Zhebrovskiy
The president of Educational Club of European Capitals, Head of the Central Administrative Board of Education and Science of the city of Kiev in 1996 – 2005, First Deputy of Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine in 2005 – 2007


Ukraine and Turkey are just starting to discover the fact how close they are to each other, full of wonderful things and similar to each other. We were lucky to get acquainted with the people in Ukraine who love their country sincerely and who devoted their life to educating its citizens. This acquaintance eventuated owing the people from my country who are similarly devoted to the cause of education, the teachers and the founders of the “Meridian” International School.

Omer Balibey
Head of Department of Ministry of
Education of Turkey


Our relations with Ukraine, with which we are entering into the friendly relations through joint for us the Black Sea, will develop still more effectively. Our greatest wish is that the educational bridge built between Turkey and Ukraine will change into the bridge of friendship. I want to mention that each step, which will be made with these thoughts and feelings, we will support with all our forces.

M. Ata Ozer
Head of the Central Administrative Board
of Education of the city of Istanbul


The different and various contacts had been existing since the ancient times between Ukraine and Turkey in consequence of which our peoples had an opportunity to respect and get acquainted with social - political heritage and cultural - educational traditions of both countries.

The active political dialogue, dynamic economic co-operation, consolidation of relations in the humanitarian sphere – all this is typical for the relations between two states at the modern stage. The relations in the educational sphere occupy the important place in this collaboration.

Mehmet Guler
Founder of the “Meridian” International School
Svyatoslav Rulikovskiy
Director of the “Meridian” International School

I succeeded in seeing how the relations, which formed between the heads of education of Kiev and Istanbul for the short period of time, became unprecedented in the history of education in Ukraine. This stage of personal acquaintance of two colleagues - like-minded persons some time later was followed by the kaleidoscope of events, unforgettable impressions, the sea of emotions, birth of new friendly relations between the cities, the districts, the institutes of higher education, the schools, the teachers and even the families.


Galina Isakova
Chief specialist of the Department of International cooperation and European integration of Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine

The meeting with the representatives of the Turkish delegation took place in Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, which Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Stanislav Nikolayenko regarded as continuation of the international arrangements of the Black Sea region on the issues of cooperation in the sphere of education, science and technologies, which were signed in Athens by the member-countries of OBSEC, Turkey and Ukraine among them. Stanislav Nikolayenko emphasized that Kiev’s education workers headed by Boris Zhebrovskiy initiated and set the example of such close teamwork, which is worth following both in Ukraine and in Turkey.


Vera Goryunova
First Deputy Head of the Central Administrative Board of Education and Science of the city of Kiev


Such teamwork gives an opportunity to improve a teaching and educational process in an educational institution, to increase its activity effectiveness and quality, which is the central idea of the Bologna process.