Strategic Workshop in Nikopol Launches Rural Planning Model for Bulgaria

On 25 September 2025, the Danube Ruralscapes project brought new energy to this ancient Danube settlement, as local leaders, community voices, and regional planners came together to reimagine the future of rural life in Bulgaria.

Co-organized by the National Tourism Cluster “Bulgarian Guide” and the Association of Danube River Municipalities - and hosted by the Municipality of Nikopol (Аssociated strategic partner) - the workshop was the first step in transforming Nikopol and its 13 villages into a model for sustainable, heritage-based development.

Set against a backdrop of fortress walls and fading architectural treasures, the workshop posed a set of urgent and inspiring questions:

• What kind of future do we want for our villages?

• How can local traditions, identity, and architecture shape tomorrow’s rural planning?

• And what does real collaboration between municipalities, experts, and citizens look like in practice?

Participants included representatives of local authorities and representatives of cultural and creative industries, incl. community centers - each bringing local experience, challenges, and enthusiasm to the table.

The Mayor of Nikopol, Mr. Emil Tsekov, opened the event with a strong message: “When villages lead, transformation follows.” This set the tone for an engaging and open dialogue throughout the day.

The workshop covered:

• An introduction to the Danube Ruralscapes vision and goals

• A review of the common challenges facing rural settlements — from depopulation to disconnected planning policies

• A lively exchange of good and bad practices from the region

• First steps toward co-creating an Architecture and Rural Landscape Identity Guide for the Nikopol pilot area.

Strategically located on the Danube and steeped in centuries of history, Municipality of Nikopol and its 13 villages - including Asenovo, Muselievo, Debovo, Novachene, etc. - are rich in cultural heritage and architectural character. But like many rural areas, they face economic decline, population loss, and limited access to professional planning expertise.

By being selected as one of the seven pilot regions in the Danube Ruralscapes project, Nikopol now has the opportunity to:

• Build practical planning tools with professional and community input

• Create policies that respect identity, sustainability, and landscape context

• Contribute to a transnational exchange of ideas and methods across the Danube Region

This bottom-up, co-creative process offers a real chance to redefine what rural development can look like - not only for Nikopol, but for similar communities across Europe.

Following the success of this initial workshop, the Nikopol region will move into stronger consultation and mapping phases, supported by academic and professional partners from across the Danube Ruralscapes network, especially with the coordination of our Bulgarian partners.

Together with its local stakeholders, the pilot region will develop and test a locally adapted Architecture and Identity Guide, aimed at improving planning processes, empowering municipalities, and preserving the unique character of its villages.

Stay tuned for updates from Nikopol - and from other pilot regions along the Danube - as we continue to shape the future of rural settlements: sustainably, together!

Danube Ruralscapes is co-funded by the Interreg Danube Region Programme. It supports the creation of sustainable, heritage-based village planning tools through local engagement, transnational cooperation, and shared knowledge.