RurALL Final Conference Held in Beltinci, Slovenia

The final conference of the RurALL project took place on 20–21 May 2026 in Beltinci, Slovenia, bringing together representatives of municipalities, development agencies, research institutions, and civil society organisations from 11 European countries. Hosted at the Cultural Hall Beltinci, the event focused on addressing key challenges facing rural areas across Europe, particularly depopulation and the increasing number of vacant and deteriorating buildings in rural communities.

The conference presented the main outcomes of the RurALL project, co-funded by the Danube Region Programme, and highlighted innovative and sustainable approaches to rural revitalisation.

The first day of the conference was dedicated to presenting the RurALL methodology and its practical application. Discussions focused on mapping rural assets, conducting comparative analyses and long-term projections, engaging local communities, and developing sustainable business models for revitalisation processes. Contributions were delivered by experts and project partners from Občina Beltinci, MOBA Housing SCE, the Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI), Zavod PIP, and the Business Information and Consulting Center.

In the afternoon session, participants explored the connection between RurALL and the New European Bauhaus initiative, with particular emphasis on integrating sustainability, inclusion, and aesthetics into rural development practices. Case studies from Romania, Czechia, and Serbia, together with presentations on participatory architecture, demonstrated the importance of collaborative and community-led approaches to rural transformation.

The second conference day focused on governance, financing mechanisms, and cooperation models essential for successful rural revitalisation. The project knowledge partner EMFIE presented the principles of a Multistakeholder Governance Model, while participants discussed the RurALL Governance Package and the transferability of project results beyond the Danube Region Programme into broader European rural development frameworks.

The conference also placed RurALL within the wider European policy context through presentations of the Interreg Danube project Danube4Rural.com and macro-regional rural development coordination activities under the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, presented by the Centre for European Perspective (CEP).

A key highlight of the event was the roundtable discussion “From Policy to Practice: Addressing Rural Depopulation,” featuring local and regional representatives from Slovenia, Serbia, and Hungary. The discussion underlined the need for coordinated action across local, regional, national, and European levels in order to effectively respond to demographic challenges in rural areas.

Lead partner Municipality of Beltinci extends its sincere appreciation to all project partners, speakers, and participants for their valuable contributions, active engagement, and commitment to strengthening resilient and vibrant rural communities across Europe.