The RURALITIES Project partners recently gathered in Krško (Slovenia), one of the project’s pilot areas. A multi-day meeting focused on strategy, collaboration, and practical learning to advance innovation, test gamification, and engage local communities.
As an EU-funded initiative, RURALITIES works to strengthen rural areas by creating climate-smart, knowledge-based, and ecosystem-enhancing innovation hubs. Its goal is clear: to make rural communities more resilient, connected, and attractive places to live and work.
The meeting in Krško marked an important step in preparing the project’s next implementation phase, bringing partners together to align on upcoming activities and strengthen cooperation across Europe.
Preparing expertise and training centres
One of the main priorities of the meeting was advancing preparations for the future RURALITIES Expertise and training centres, which will be established across six pilot regions:
These centres are planned to launch in 2027. They will play a central role in the project’s long-term impact providing structured support for rural innovation through:
This work directly contributes to the project’s objective of developing climate-smart, ecosystem-enhancing and knowledge-based rural hubs, as outlined in the project framework.
Testing innovation through gamification
Innovation is not only about strategy. It is also about engagement. During the meeting, partners tested the RURITANIA game, originally developed within the RURITAGE Project, as a practical tool for supporting rural innovation.
The game helps participants simulate rural development scenarios, understand stakeholder interactions, and explore decision-making processes in a collaborative way.
This session gave pilot partners valuable insights into how gamification can support local engagement and improve innovation uptake in their own regions. They will be able to adapt the game to their local contexts. These adaptations will support future implementation within the pilot areas, strengthening participatory approaches and fostering innovation uptake.
Posavje: Seeing Rural Innovation in Practice
A field visit to the Posavje region gave consortium partners the opportunity to experience local innovation on the ground. It was hosted by regional partners, including the Regional Development Agency, EVROSAD a local fruit producer and the local tourism agency.
The visit offered direct insight into stakeholder cooperation, Living Lab activities, and regional development challenges.
Meeting local actors face-to-face helped partners better understand how innovation works in practice and how important local knowledge and community involvement are for long-term success.
The visit also highlighted the strong connection between sustainability, cultural heritage, and rural development.
Strengthening Local Connections
The meeting concluded with a local press conference, where the consortium shared project progress and upcoming activities with regional media and stakeholders.
This was an important opportunity to raise awareness about RURALITIES, strengthen local engagement, and open new connections with communities in the region.
Transparent communication and stakeholder inclusion remain central to the project’s approach. Because rural innovation only works when people are part of the process.
Looking Ahead
The Krško meeting successfully combined strategic planning, practical testing, and local engagement. It confirmed that the next phase of RURALITIES is not only about implementation. It is about building lasting systems that support innovation in rural Europe.
The focus now moves towards:
By connecting knowledge, people, and places, RURALITIES continues to shape a more resilient and innovation-driven future for rural communities across Europe.
More info about the RURALITIES initiative:
RURALITIES – Climate, ecosystem and knowledge-based expertise – PEDAL Consulting (pedal-consulting.eu)
