In Roman religion, every place inhabited and frequented by humans is characterized by the presence of a supernatural entity: the Genius loci.

Depopulation of rural areas, caused by a combination of population loss and population aging, keeps hindering their socioeconomic development.

Numerous small rural villages across the globe have been confronted with challenges such as dwindling populations, inadequate economic prospects, and emigration to metropolitan regions.

n this fast changing environment, when we are easily distracted by outer stimuli, it is important to develop meta skills, as well as hard and soft skills.

Last week, from 12 - 13.01.2023, CDOP attended the third parters meeting organized in the town of Valmiera, in the west of Latvia.

Rural communities face sustainability opportunities and challenges that follow trends in migration, food value chains, rural business succession, and more.

Reskilling and upskilling was the #1 priority for 93% of businesses in 2021. It seems that this trend is not going to stop any time soon.

One of the critical objectives of current EU policy is to maintain lively rural areas. Rural activators are the only ones able to change these areas' fate.

Rural activators are people who have not forgotten or have never stopped believing in that rural reality. They are those who keep the village together, like old and new roots protecting the community from subsiding.

Article by Massimo Menichinelli (Elisava, Barcelona School of Design and Engineering – UVic-UCC) Through the last decades, the quest for sustainability (especially in design, but this is representative of most…