On November 17th, the FLIARA Project held its final Community of Practice (CoP) online event, bringing together consortium partners and Innovation Ambassadors from across Europe for a morning dedicated to reflection, shared experiences and discussions about the project’s future beyond its formal end.
The event opened with a welcome from Project Coordinator, Associate Professor Maura Farrell from the University of Galway, who highlighted the importance of the relationships built throughout the project. She described the CoP gatherings as a space where women innovators could connect, learn and feel heard, emphasising that the project’s success “came from the stories and strength” of the Ambassadors themselves.
Following the opening remarks, Víctor R. Martínez, Communication Manager for FLIARA at Consulta Europa, presented the results and tools developed by the project. He showcased FLIARA’s growing presence at European events and introduced the FLIARA Toolkit, designed to support women innovators and policymakers working in rural sustainability. His intervention underlined how the project had not only produced research but had also created practical instruments for real-world impact.
Project Manager Anastasia Oprea then guided participants through a retrospective of the Community of Practice, sharing photos, policy briefs and messages that emerged from the group’s work. She thanked Ambassadors for “turning FLIARA into more than a project—into a living community” and stressed how their honesty, solidarity and lived experiences helped shape the project’s outcomes. According to Oprea, the CoP helped shift public narratives about who innovates in rural Europe and ensured that policy discussions reflect the realities faced by rural women.
A central part of the event was the “Ambassadors’ Voices” round, where women from Ireland, Sweden, Finland, Germany and Italy shared how FLIARA influenced their personal and professional journeys. Many described a renewed sense of confidence, visibility and connection. Several spoke about how the project allowed them to recognise the value of their work and situate it within a broader European context.
Finnish Ambassador Rita Porkka explained that FLIARA helped her “see the value” of her work by giving her a mirror to reflect it back. Sarah Khoudja, from Italy, said the project strengthened her confidence when taking positions in her business and community, even if it did not change her daily routine. Irish Ambassador Ursula Kelly described gaining the confidence to speak publicly and engage with national and EU-level discussions, something she credited with further inspiring her.
From Germany, Linda Kelly said FLIARA connected her with people she would not have met otherwise and encouraged her to explore the potential of rural innovation in new ways. Malin Axelsson, from Sweden, reflected on how empowering it felt to realise that her work mattered and how the network enriched her understanding of the differences across European rural contexts. Finnish Ambassador Sonja Jokiranta shared a powerful and emotional testimony, explaining that recognition from FLIARA came at a moment of difficulty for her organisation and reassured her that her work “was seen and believed in.”
Irish Ambassador Blátnaid Gallagher called the experience “a lifeline”, describing how the project helped her break out of moments of stagnation, develop new skills and connect with role models across Europe. She said the network was made up of “really strong women, led by a strong, well-organised team,” and expressed deep gratitude for the relationships built through FLIARA.
During the session on “What’s Next”, Farrell encouraged Ambassadors to continue using their voices at national and European levels, reminding them that understanding who makes decisions—and how—is an essential part of driving change. She also underlined the importance of networks, describing them as powerful spaces that offer strength, support and inspiration.
The event also included an interactive moment where ambassadors and project partners contributed messages for the next generation of rural women innovators to a collective digital board. The messages will form part of FLIARA’s final collection of stories and reflections.
The session closed with a heartfelt message from Dr. Farrell, who thanked Ambassadors for trusting the team with their stories and emphasised that listening to them had been “a privilege”. She described the Ambassador component as “the most impactful element” of the project and expressed hope that the connections formed through FLIARA would continue long into the future.
As the FLIARA Project reaches its conclusion, the final CoP gathering highlighted the strength of its community and the lasting influence of the women driving rural innovation across Europe.