Ruralism 4.EU - Enabling rural renaissance through Green and Digital transitions

<< Background >>EU rural areas face common challenges (depopulation, ageing population, decreasing attractiveness compared to urban areas, and potential loss of economical and cultural values to be preserved) that can only be addressed by understanding the variety and complexities of factors that influence their dynamics to develop tailor-made, place-based and integrated solutions and practices to support sustainable rural growth.In order to set the conditions for the rural and marginal areas to step toward a regeneration process, it is essential to link the European efforts towards the common goal set by the Rural Pact and the EU Rural Action Plan of promoting rural renaissance to contribute the sustainable growth of the whole EU, taking full advantage of the ongoing twin transition (digital and green). The project also responded to the need of strengthening partners' works and operational capacities benefiting from peer inspiration and building synergies between projects and practices. Partners operate in five different contexts, with different yet interrelated perspectives.<< Objectives >>Ruralism4.EU aimed to put together organisations from 5 different countries to analyse the current situation and build an European approach for triggering the rural renaissance, moving towards green and digital transition. In order to accomplish the overall goal, specific targets have been established for a series of designated tasks:1. Identifying and understanding of the key enabling factors and practices implemented at the European level that can drive rural revitalisation;2. Exchanging and capitalise on the information gathered, but also on the experiences of project partners to build their capacities and enrich human and social capital through additional resources for strategic thinking, and co-design of innovative ideas/projects around a variety of areas relevant for rural development;3. Setting the basis for a long-term partnership to deliver training activities, support rural population getting more digitised, and acquire the relevant knowledge and skills for the rural renaissance. << Implementation >>The project embedded three dynamic activities:A1 - Collection of best practices, through desk research performed individually by each of the partners in their respective countries, to better define the nature of problems affecting rural areas they live in, and investigate how they have been addressed. This activity lasted all along the project duration and partners agreed to split it into two distinct moments, each centered on one of the two thematics covered by the project: green transition and digital transition. A2 - A first in-presence, international exchange was held in Italy at the EXO’s venue. During this first meeting, partners co-analysed the results of the desk research on green transition. The meeting included 2 on-field study visits, co-discussion and co-creation moments with external stakeholders from the local context, following an innovative and creative approach, to share conclusions and explore potential further cooperation.A3 - A second international exchange took place at the HUAP venue in Austria. Similar to the first exchange, a fresh cycle of individual desk research was conducted, with a focus on case studies related to digital transition. << Results >>The main outputs and results can be synthesised as follows:1 - A collection of case studies and best practices (approx. 20) respectively in green and digital transition for rural areas with a high transferability potential;2 - 25 external stakeholders involved to share their initiatives, their needs and challenges with regard to the objectives of the research undertook by the partnership;3 - 30 connections with stakeholders at the national level, thus to disseminate and share project results to a broader audience participating in events, and/or to disseminate project results in relevant publications and networks;4 - Two reports on the results of the research activities and international exchanges implemented under the project;5 - A Policy recommendation document on strategic planning to support the digital and green transition in rural areas;6 - Two operational toolkits to promote participation and co-design, to which partners committed to adapt and use in their daily activities after the project’ end;7 - A common agreement among partners to capitalise the experience gained for further common initiatives under future EU funding call for proposals.