The RURALITIES Project consortium recently had its General Assembly on October 29-30, 2024, at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture in Croatia. This gathering marked an important milestone, as partners from across Europe and Africa came together in a hybrid meeting to reflect on two years of achievements and strategize on the future trajectory of the project. With an agenda packed with insightful presentations, workshops, and collaborative sessions, the event highlighted RURALITIES’ strides in transforming rural areas and fostering innovation.
The assembly covered key updates and discussions, including:
- Milestone Reflections: A comprehensive summary of the accomplishments and key learnings from the first two years of the project, showcasing advancements made in enhancing sustainable rural practices.
- Work Package Progress: Each work package leader presented their objectives, results, challenges encountered and the way forward.
- Areas for growth: WP7 focused on establishing a RURALITIES expertise centres for addressing rural-specific challenges, while WP8 outlined pathways for multi-point learning settings and training hubs to expand the project’s impact.
- SIMSES Workshop: Partners collaborated in an interactive workshop to brainstorm and refine the RURAL Thrive Campaign’s upcoming testing phase.
The General Assembly not only celebrated what RURALITIES has achieved but also set clear pathways for the next steps in rural innovation and sustainability. The two-day gathering was filled with discussions on how RURALITIES will continue to reshape rural landscapes across Europe and Africa, backed by strong partnerships and a shared vision for resilient, thriving communities.
Special thanks to the University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture and Marko Vinceković for hosting the event with outstanding hospitality. We look forward to gathering again in six months to review our progress and launch the next stages of the RURALITIES journey!
