On October 16-17th, a consortium of 15 partners from 8 countries gathered in Budapest for the Second General Assembly of the ESIRA project, funded by Horizon Europe. The event hosted by HETFA was organised at the venue of the European Commission Representation in Hungary. HÉTFA is a member of the consortium aiming to enhance social inclusion in rural areas, with a focus on people in a vulnerable situation and social economy.
The General Assembly was launched by Luca Koltai, Research Director of HETFA. Kinga Tóth, Deputy Research Director of HETFA gave a presentation about the progress of the work package led by HETFA, focusing on the research of the drivers of rural marginalisation and the opportunities of community-led social economy initiatives for social inclusion. Overall, the two-day event provided an opportunity for Work Package leaders to present progress reports. Detailed overviews of achievements from the past months were delivered, highlighting reached results and challenges encountered.
A priority for the ESIRA project is to support innovative initiatives empowering marginalised social groups in rural areas through working with rural communities. Project partners work with Multi actor platforms (MAPs) throughout the project, which are community-led spaces, playing a vital role in nurturing social innovations and strengthening social economy initiatives. These spaces serve as incubators for ideas, providing a platform for individuals and groups to collaborate, share knowledge, and develop solutions to address social challenges. Representatives of each partner country shared their experiences with the first phase of the project, which focused on the successful establishing of MAPs. Specific strategies that have been implemented were shared, with each region offering insights based on local challenges and opportunities. These presentations allowed comparisons of approaches, exchange of ideas, and learning from shared experiences.
For more information, visit the website of ESIRA, or follow the project on the following social media platforms:
LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X (Twitter) | YouTube