Funded by

Europe For Citizens

Information
Quick Links
Contacts
SERN Secretariat

REN

Rural Europe Network

About the project

The project REN stems from some needs, common to all partners identified in the project planning phase. Indeed, partnering countries are characterized by two distinctive features: an ageing population and the abandonment of the areas by young people who move elsewhere looking for new work opportunities.

Youth unemployment, an innovative political agenda and sharing of expertise on how to improve the competitiveness of the territories represent the main challenges that the project partners want to deal with at the transnational level in order to analyze and share innovative and strategic practices. The project partnership is composed of 8 Municipalities from 5 European countries, each of them has involved local stakeholders, people, groups and associations interested in analyzing, deepening and participating in the themes of the project.

Objectives

The overall objective of the project is to increase the attractiveness of the municipalities involved to make the best of their potential in the rural sector. The specific objectives are:

  • increase knowledge on the practices of strengthening competitiveness, in order to better promote local tourism and rural resources through new local and international networks;
  • increase the knowledge and skills of young farmers on the value added of small local productions;
  • increase the opportunities and stimulate young people to be active and involved in the rural sector (and in rural tourism) creating opportunities for participation in the European Union;
  • increase public awareness of the role and importance of the EU in relation to the theme;
  • improve and enrich the knowledge and strategies of local decision makers, expanding their vision through an exchange of practices and experiences at the international level.

Activities

Coordination Meeting
Borgo Val di Taro
28/30 October 2014

First transnational meeting
Camariñas
3/6 March 2015

Second transnational meeting
Buzet
14/17 April 2015

Local events in all the municipalities
June/October 2015

Evaluation seminar
Jalasjärvi
9/12 December 2015

Final Conference
Borgo Val di Taro
18/21 April 2015

Impact

The project REN foresaw events with different plans and involvement of direct participants, around 500 during the whole project length, and local stakeholders. The interconnection between transnational and local events represents an important added value of the REN project. First of all European partners identified, discussed and exchanged their project experiences and best practices in two transnational meetings.

The first one dedicated to formal and informal education and training for young farmers to increase competitiveness in the countryside-city context and the second one, about alternative opportunities for farmers in sustainable tourism, social, and environmental frameworks.

The second step could be identified in the exchange of specific best practices among local stakeholders thanks to local valorization seminars held in the 5 European countries of the partnership. After these meetings, 12 best practices have been identified as the most important ones which could be transferred from one country to the other with due changes. The project results and outcomes have been presented in a final meeting

Skip to content