A Gathering of Change-Makers
From 20 to 23 October 2025, the 6th European Rural Parliament (ERP) convened in Inverurie and the North East of Scotland under the theme “Strength from Opportunity – Rural Community Solutions to Global Challenges.” With over 400 delegates from 43 countries, the event brought together rural and island community leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, youth representatives and policymakers to co-create a future agenda for rural Europe.
Organised by a coalition of networks—including ELARD, ERCA, PREPARE and Rural Youth Europe—the ERP is more than a conference: it is a participative democratic process designed to amplify the voice of rural communities and translate lived experience into policy action.
From Dialogue to Declaration
Throughout the four days, delegates engaged in plenaries, thematic workshops, study visits and youth forums. Discussions covered the spectrum of rural challenges and opportunities: demographic change, climate resilience, food systems, local enterprise, digital transitions, inter-generational cooperation and governance.
The event culminated in the signing of the Declaration of Inverurie. Representing PREPARE, members including Miodrag Matavulj, Goran Šoster, Evelina Azizaj, Kim Smedslund and Monika Slaninová joined colleagues from partner networks in endorsing a unified statement of rural agency and purpose.
“We, the people of rural areas, hold the keys to the solutions Europe needs. We are capable. We are strong communities. We create essential solutions for life together, on the ground.”
The Declaration calls for recognition, support and genuine partnership between communities and decision-makers—removing barriers, listening to lived experience and building trust.
Why It Matters
The Declaration of Inverurie is a clear signal that rural communities across Europe refuse to be passive observers of change—they are active contributors and innovators. From community-owned wind turbines to youth-led social enterprises, place-based initiatives are the engines of transformation at the local level. The ERP highlighted that solutions are being developed where people live—and these need to be recognised, amplified and scaled.
For PREPARE, the Declaration aligns perfectly with our mission: to connect, empower and represent rural people across Europe. It reinforces our commitment to enabling rural networks, facilitating peer learning, and influencing policy from the bottom up.
Next Steps for PREPARE
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We will embed the principles of the Declaration into our work programmes: strengthening youth engagement, improving transparency and building cross-border partnerships.
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We will monitor progress on how the Declaration is taken up at regional, national and EU levels—particularly within the framework of the EU Rural Pact and the Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas.
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We will support member organisations to convert words into action through capacity-building, pilot projects and collaborations that reflect the Declaration’s emphasis on “life together, on the ground.”
Looking Forward
As Michael Dower, founder of the rural parliament movement, once said:
“Dare the impossible. Do it now. Help if you can. Be reliable.”
With the Declaration of Inverurie behind us, PREPARE and its partners are ready to move forward. We embrace the challenge of rural renewal not as spectators but as active agents. Together, we strive for a future in which the strength of rural communities shapes a more resilient, equitable and inclusive Europe.
Read the full Declaration of Inverurie and our commitment to its implementation.
Inverurie declaration_signed