Program: Erasmus+, KA1 – Youth Exchange
Project leader: EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF RURAL LEADERS – Belgium
Timeframe of the project: June 2022 – January 2023
Partners:
- Poland – Reflections on Europe
- Hungary – Herman Otto Intezet Nonprofit Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag,
- Greece – ANAPTYXIAKI IRAKLEIOU ANAPTYXIAKIANO NYMOS ETAIREIA OTA
- Latvia – LATVIJAS LAUKU FORUMS
- Spain – RED ESPAÑOLA DE DESARROLLO RURAL
- Sweden – Lokalt Ledd Utveckling Halland
Project summmary:
The idea for the project was created by a group of young people involved in and working for rural development. The project focused on bringing together young people from a number of small European towns and villages who had the opportunity to carry out activities at the local and regional level, or who wanted to start activities at the national or European level. It provided young people with the best possible preparation through the exchange of experiences and activities related to youth development and activation.
In addition, the use of digital tools in learning processes supported the digital skills and competencies of rural youth, allowing them to be more active in virtual learning activities and digital participatory practices even after project implementation.
Project goals:
The aim of the project was to seek the involvement of as many rural youth as possible through the development of good practices, soft skills, and developing the capacity of youth to formulate their needs in policy changes in rural areas.
5th European Rural Parliament in Kielce (12.09 – 15.09. 2022r.)
About 350 participants, including rural residents, representatives of regional and European organizations, scientists, entrepreneurs, national governments and European Union institutions from over 39 countries met in the center of Europe to talk about the future of the European Union’s activities in rural areas . It was an amazing experience because this year European youth organizations were also invited to the event, creating the Youth European Rural Parliament which was proudly represented by Ola, Piotr, Maciek, Mikołaj and Kacper.
During the event, international groups participated in study visits throughout the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. It was an opportunity to show how many private activities operating in small towns can develop in rural areas, thanks to the help of European Union funds. In addition, we visited many historic places and museums in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains region and admired the performances of folk bands and regional organizations.
The main goal that the youth was to achieve at the end of the inauguration was to create the European Rural Parliament Youth Manifesto. Thanks to workshops with trainers from all over Europe and expert debates, we managed to develop conclusions that young people will be able to present at the Youth Manifesto final in Brussels. This event certainly showed that young people from rural areas want to dynamize their activities in their own regions and create amazing things.
Study visit in Brussels (16.01 – 21.01. 2023r.)
On January 16-21, 2023, a study visit was held in Brussels as part of the RURBEST22 project, where we presented the results obtained during the European Rural Parliament, which took place in Kielce. The youth delegation, which included representatives from Spain, Hungary, Greece, Poland, Sweden and Latvia, together with the board of the European Rural Parliament, which included representatives of ELARD, ERCA and PREPARE, met with representatives of the most important European institutions, including the European Parliament or the European Commission. We mainly discussed the places of residence of young people in rural areas and their impact on decision-making at the local level.
