The Share Network, the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) Europe and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) organised a one-day Share SIRA transnational conference on ‘Strengthening and Expanding the Social Orientation and Integration of Newcomers in Rural Areas’ on 23 November 2022 at the Committee of the Regions in Brussels.
ELARD participated in the high level panel on Promoting the inclusion of newcomers in rural
areas in a changing EU migration landscape, where ELARD pointed out:
- the possibility of LAGs to combine local needs and resources in integrating newcomers
- that Local Development Strategies work together with overaching regional, national, European and even global strategies.
- that it is people integrating people, not instruments and methods. Networking is so important! On the example of- many different projects – ofcourse also mentioning WOW – Women on Wednesday! https://elard.eu/winners-of-european-leader-award-for…/
Speakers at the panel were:
- Giulio Di Blasi, Member of the private office of Commissioner Ylva Johansson, European
Commission - Alain Régnier, French Interministerial Delegate for the Reception and Integration of
Refugees - Isabel Bombal, Director General for Rural Development, Innovation and Agri-Food training, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Spain
- Marion Eckardt, President of the European LEADER Association for Rural Development
- Ewa Kacak-Niemczuk, President of the Piaseczno womens council, Poland