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RurALL Town Hall Meeting – Rural Voices, Shared Futures

Across Europe, rural communities are facing profound environmental, social and economic challenges. At the same time, many local initiatives are demonstrating that citizens can play a key role in strengthening community resilience, fostering participation, preserving local identity and responding to climate-related challenges.

The RurALL Town Hall Meeting – Rural Voices, Shared Futures will bring together citizens, community organisers, researchers, NGOs, educators, practitioners and policymakers from across Europe to reflect on the lessons learned during the RurALL project and discuss how local experiences can contribute to more inclusive and sustainable rural futures.

Rather than a traditional conference, the Town Hall Meeting is designed as a participatory space for dialogue and exchange. Through storytelling, thematic discussions and policy reflection, participants will explore how community-led initiatives can support active citizenship, climate adaptation and rural development.

Over the past two years, RurALL partners have worked with communities in six European countries, testing participatory methods, organising workshops, supporting local initiatives and implementing eco-placemaking interventions. The Town Hall Meeting provides an opportunity to bring these experiences together and open a wider European conversation about the future of rural communities.

Programme

16:00–16:10 - Welcome & Introduction

Opening remarks and introduction to the event, its objectives and key themes.

16:10–16:15 - Collective Project Video

A short film presenting local initiatives, project experiences and community actions developed across Europe during the RurALL project.

16:15–16:55 - Stories from the Ground

Project partners will share experiences and lessons learned from different local contexts, including:

  • Eco-placemaking and community action

  • Intergenerational collaboration

  • From ideas to implementation

  • Participation and empowerment in local communities (presented by Joana Guerra Tadeu)

16:55–17:35 - Interactive Breakout Discussions

Participants can choose one of three parallel discussions:

Rural Identity & Recognition

How are rural communities perceived and represented? Which local values, traditions and forms of knowledge remain invisible or underestimated?

Participation → Action

What helps participatory processes lead to real change? Which conditions support successful community action and long-term engagement?

Community Gardens: A Space for Civic Engagement

How can community gardens strengthen participation, social cohesion, local resilience and active citizenship?

17:35–18:30 - Plenary Synthesis & Policy Dialogue

The final session will bring together insights from the breakout discussions and reflections from invited experts and policymakers.

Topics will include:

  • key lessons emerging from local initiatives;

  • opportunities and barriers to community participation;

  • links between local action and public policy;

  • future directions for rural communities across Europe.

Participants will also have the opportunity to engage directly with invited guests and decision-makers.

Featured Contributors

The event will feature contributions from practitioners, researchers, community leaders and policymakers from across Europe, including:

  • Dr Lilla Bartuszek – President, National Association of Livable Settlements (Hungary)

  • Péter Biró – Mayor of Penészlek  (Hungary)

  • Martin Vasko – Founder, Precious Plastic Slovakia (Slovakia)

  • Joana Guerra Tadeu – Journalist, activist and Communication Director of the Don't Skip Humanity initiative (Portugal)

  • Prof. Pasquale De Muro – Professor of Applied Economics, University of Roma Tre (Italy)

Additional speakers and contributors from across Europe are currently being confirmed.

Who Should Attend?

The event is open to everyone interested in:

  • rural development;

  • community participation;

  • active citizenship;

  • climate adaptation;

  • community gardens and placemaking;

  • local democracy and civic engagement;

  • social innovation and community resilience.

Registration

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required.

🔗 Registration: https://forms.gle/odvVYfCakVbz47ah8

We warmly invite citizens, practitioners, researchers, NGOs, educators and policymakers to join this European conversation and help shape more resilient, inclusive and sustainable rural futures.

Virtual Town Hall Meeting