On 16-17 September 2025, PREPARE proudly joined over 250 representatives from across the EU at the Rural Pact Conference: “From Vision to Action: Empowering rural areas for the future”.
Hosted at the Château du Biez in Pecq (Kortrijk), Belgium, the event was a milestone in advancing the EU’s Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas (LTVRA) and the Rural Action Plan.
What the Conference Was About
The Rural Pact Conference brought together community organisations, public authorities, businesses, researchers, and rural development practitioners to:
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Reflect on the progress made so far under the Rural Action Plan.
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Co-create ideas and recommendations to guide the updated Action Plan.
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Network & learn from diverse rural actors across Europe.
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Empower multipliers who can bring lessons and improvements back to their local, regional, and national levels.
PREPARE’s Contribution
During the Networking Corner on the opening day, PREPARE showcased three of its flagship projects:
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FUTURAL – fostering innovative practices for sustainable rural futures.
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RURBANIVE – connecting rural and urban innovation for inclusive development.
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GRANULAR – generating knowledge to support evidence-based rural policies.
Each project demonstrated community-led innovation in action, showing how local people and organisations are shaping more resilient, connected, and prosperous rural areas.
Looking Ahead
The Rural Pact Conference was more than an exchange — it was a step towards shaping the next generation of rural policies in Europe.
PREPARE remains committed to:
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Amplifying rural voices in European decision-making.
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Supporting innovation rooted in communities.
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Ensuring that rural areas are not only included in Europe’s future, but are leaders of sustainable and inclusive transformation.
