RURALITIES

RURALITIES—Climate-Smart, Ecosystem-Enhancing and Knowledge-Based Rural Expertise and Training Centres—is a Horizon Europe project designed to strengthen the capacity of rural communities to respond to climate, environmental, social and economic challenges. The project develops a learner-centred framework that combines training, knowledge exchange and practical experimentation to support sustainable rural development.

At the centre of the project are the RURALITIES Hubs: local expertise and training centres supported by a network of living labs and digital tools. These hubs bring together rural communities, public authorities, researchers, businesses and civil-society organisations to exchange knowledge, develop skills and jointly design solutions that reflect the specific conditions of each region.

Rather than applying a single model to every rural area, RURALITIES uses a place-based and participatory approach. Its activities are tested through six rural socio-ecological demonstration areas located in Italy, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain and Romania. These pilot areas represent different rural contexts, from remote territories to rural zones located close to urban centres, allowing the project to evaluate and adapt its methods under diverse conditions.

By combining living labs, collaborative learning, community engagement and digital connectivity, RURALITIES seeks to accelerate rural innovation and improve the ability of local actors to implement climate-smart and ecosystem-enhancing initiatives. Particular attention is given to inclusive participation and to strengthening opportunities for groups that may be underrepresented in rural innovation, including women and young people.

Ultimately, the project aims to transform local knowledge and practical experience into solutions that can be shared, adapted and replicated across regions. In this way, RURALITIES supports more resilient rural communities, stronger local innovation networks and a more sustainable relationship between rural economies, people and ecosystems.