Rural Repopulation group: an inspiring example of Rural Pact Community collaboration
The Rural Pact community group on ‘Rural depopulation and repopulation’, coordinated by the Fundación Repoblación, is a shining example of the Rural Pact platform’s capacity to spark meaningful collaboration across Europe. Read on to find out more about exchanges within the group.
Image by Fundación Repoblación, launch of the RuralNEXT project
This discussion group successfully brings together actors committed to making rural areas places of opportunity and long-term settlement, fostering synergies and advancing a shared agenda for rural repopulation across Europe.
Stakeholder engagement through online group meetings
The first online meeting of the group members, organised by Fundación Repoblación, opened up a space to exchange regional experiences and priorities.
The second, proposed through a participatory discussion on the platform, focused on sharing good practices related to rural digitalisation, housing, tourism, and essential services.
Key insights from the second meeting include: the valorisation of local assets and heritage is essential for repopulation, while cooperative housing models offer a pathway to strengthen community life and promote long-term settlement.
While not all members were able to attend every meeting, the smaller format allows the most active participants to engage in deep, productive dialogue.
Commitment to continuous exchange
These initial steps mark the start of a broader effort: the group – now 72 members strong – will continue organising regular online meetings to turn shared vision into shared action.
Animating a group means building trust and co-creating – and this group is doing just that.
Interested in the topic of rural depopulation and repopulation? Become a member of the Community Group and join the debate!
Author: Fundación Repoblación