After the PREPARE Gathering in Slovakia in 2003, next big milestone for PREPARE Network was organising the PREPARE Gathering and Travelling Workshops in Latvia and Lithuania in 2005. The name of the gathering was “A vision for the future of rural Europe”. The activities in Latvia were organised by the newly established “Latvian Rural forum” in cooperation with Daugavpils partnership. The event started on 3 October 2005 with a meeting in Riga with representatives from Ministry of Agriculture of Latvia, and continued with travelling workshops to Bauska municipality (South Latvia) and Daugavpils (East Latvia). The coordinators of the event in Latvia was Inga Krekele and Valdis Kudiņš. Representatives of Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Latvia were present in workshops.
Here are some thoughts participants shared about the situation in Latvia in 2005: “The process of local partnership has just started (and little business in it; new established NGOs, capacity building exists – building of self-esteem)”, “Counting on Leader approach (too much?)”, “Partnership principles and Leader can serve as a method of social cohesion and sustainable development of local communities? LAG combining all domestic and international resources”
On October 5th, participants crossed the border and moved to continue the meeting in Lithuania.