Online workshop - The long-term Rural Vision

ANVITA, was invited to participate in the online workshop organised by the European Commission on 17 September 2021 on opportunities in rural areas for the inclusion of newcomers. The discussion was fuelled by the fist results of EU funded projects taking into account the international and national flow with regard to rural, mountainous and remote areas.

During this online workshop, different stakeholders were invited to share their thoughts and initial ideas on the intersection between migration and rural and remote areas. The stakeholders involved were from the EU projects : MATILDE, WELCOMING SPACE, WHOLE-COMM, MIMY, and SHARE-SIRA.

This meeting was an opportunity to learn more from the Commission about the new Rural Vision and the opening scenario, as well as to gain an understanding of the next steps planned in this area to ensure synergies with existing networks. The representatives of stakeholders were representing their projects trying to exchange the experiences, to provide an informal dialogue, and trying to face together the actual crisis.

All participants agreed on the importance of integrating migration in the process of finding solutions and to consider it as part of the solutions.  The discussion was an excellent opportunity to understand the different opportunities and challenges in rural areas. In addition, it provided an opportunity to learn more about the key features that can make the rural areas most attractive and adaptive to newcomers in the long-term.

During this online workshop ANVITA was able to know more about amazing projects of stakeholders :

•  The SHARE Network

Established in 2012 to provide a platform for exchange andmutual learning between regional and local actors working on or considering refugee resettlement
Engages with 4,000 stakeholders in 27 EU countries in multi-stakeholder dialogue, good practice exchange, capacity building and advocacy. 

Focuses on :

o   social orientation and integration of refugees and migrants (new arrivals) in small and rural communities
o   resettlement and complementary pathways (education, labor mobility) & community-based sponsorship
o   participation of refugees and migrants

• Whole COMM: integration of migrants in small communities

Focusing on migrant integration after 2014 beyond metropolises and gateway cities ;

o   How are local policies for migrant integration decided, implemented and/or enforced by the multiple actors affecting local communities in SMsTRA?
o   How do local policies, i.e. through which mechanisms and processes, contribute to different outcomes in terms of the "social quality of life" of local communities?

•  The MIMY consortium

Focusing on Young (18-29) non - European migrants in vulnerable situations, and to supports fluid integration processes of young migrants in vulnerable situations in Europe in order to increase the social and economic benefits for migrants.

• MATILDE: assessing the impact of migration to improve integration and local development in European rural and mountainous areas.

In this project MATILDE develops and tests a transdisciplinary conceptual and methodological framework for multidimensional assessment of the economic and social impacts of Third Country Nationals at the  aggregate, national, regional and local levels in the EU.

•  Reception area

The aim is to look for new ways to merge two policy challenges: How to contribute to shrinking areas in the EU while providing a welcoming space for non-EU migrants to pursue their life projects ?
At the end of the event, participants were informed about the next steps.

-       End of 2021; launch the Rural Pact
-       Mid-2023: The Commission will evaluate the action and point out possible gaps.
-       First quarter of 2024: Publication of a report outlining areas of improvement and reflections on possible directions for strengthening support and funding for rural areas, based on the implementation of the EU Rural Action plan.

ANVITA took this opportunity to strengthen networking efforts at European level. As such, it is one of its main objectives as an association working to support and promote the condition of hospitality at national level in France, as well as at European and international level.

More information : hana.alm@anvita.fr