Empowering Voices: Women Leading Innovation in Rural Europe

The fourth FLIARA Community of Practice (CoP) was an impactful two-day event, bringing together over 60 participants to drive forward the agenda of empowering women in rural development. The gathering culminated in dynamic discussions and a vibrant celebration of female leadership and creativity.

The event featured intensive parallel workshops focused on benchmarking gender equality in policy, practical policy discussions, and foresight activities to envision future pathways for women innovators. These sessions were facilitated by experts from across Europe, including Louise Weir (University of Galway), Gerdy Ver Schuure-Stuip (TU Delft), Vitnarae Kang (TU Delft), Belyta Tembo (UTU), Tuomas Kuhmonen (UTU), Aisling Murtagh (University of Galway), and Anastasia Oprea (ECOLISE). Participants actively co-created policy proposals, identifying critical gaps and solutions to support women in agriculture and rural areas.

A highlight of the event was a captivating performance by Sonja Jokiranta, FLIARA’s Finnish ambassador and a talented singer-songwriter, who not only shared her powerful song “Ode to the Horse” but also premiered “Queen of Love,” a new song dedicated to the FLIARA community, now available on Spotify.

The closing remarks by Maura Farrell and Annie Roos underscored the project’s success in fostering a strong “Community of Practice” that extends beyond traditional project boundaries, creating a lasting network of support and collaboration. The insights gathered and connections forged at this event will significantly contribute to FLIARA’s upcoming policy briefs and the final policy booklet, aiming for tangible impact on a European level.