ENRD Main Stories Archive

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH: LEADER Event 2012 inspires 70 new transnational project concepts

The entrepreneurial spirit was very much in evidence at the LEADER Event 2012 during which 70 new Transnational Cooperation (TNC) project concepts were formed.

The event, held in Brussels on 27-28 April 2012, brought Local Action Groups (LAGs), National Rural Networks (NRNs), social entrepreneurs and many other stakeholders together to discuss rural development cooperation. The conversation focused on themes as diverse as environmental services and tourism. Cooperation was enabled by the ENRD Contact Point, which supported the event by providing meeting places for delegates and a comprehensive TNC notice board to post offers and arrange get-togethers.

Rihannon Hardiman, from the Bridgend LAG in Wales, was there to develop a TNC project, “this is a great opportunity to meet some new partners and make some new links,” she said.

The TNC notice board allowed Panayiotis Patras from the Trikala LAG in Greece to find a Czech LAG who was interested in a joint religious tourism project. “We were talking of the possibility of having a transnational-cooperation project, through LEADER…on how better to make use of these religious monuments we have in our territory” he said.

Throughout the event, the participants had many opportunities to express their views. This led to dynamic exchanges during the panel discussions and a lot of information being shared about what is working well in the current programming round. There was also a look ahead to the likely changes after 2013.

The importance of TNC was underlined at the event; simply networking with other local groups can spark inspiration for viable rural development projects. “TNC can help LAGs find new solutions to old problems, and I think that’s very important,” explained Lúis Chaves from the Portuguese LEADER Association.

For further information on the event, including comprehensive documentation, our event video and a photo gallery, click here.