Jillian reflects on ‘strength and passion’ of European Rural Parliament
A Senior Forest Manager from Scottish Woodlands Ltd has attended a Europe-wide gathering to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing rural communities.
Jillian Kennedy was in Inverurie in Aberdeenshire, along with more than 70 organisations from 40 different countries, for the 6th European Rural Parliament (ERP) and the European Rural Youth Parliament (ERYP).
She said: “This was the first time this event had been held in Scotland, and there was a great reminder early on why these conversations matter so much - because 98% of Scotland's land is classified as ‘rural’ - and rural life keeps us all going!"
“The event covered major issues including the climate crisis, conflict, biodiversity loss, and mental health. There were excellent workshops across research, skills, local development, innovation and resilience - bringing in topics as varied as access to land, social media, and the concepts of a ‘licence to farm’ and social contracts."
“Our group also discussed shared values like environmental stewardship, water quality, and soil health, and the importance of soft education and communication.”
Jillian highlighted the need to allow young people from rural communities to “thrive where they are” - and not have to leave in search of development or careers.
She said: “Eva Kotnik from the Council of Europe said many rural policies ignore youth, and many youth policies ignore the rural. We need to address that gap.”
After a series of study trips in the North-east, the event ended with the Declaration of Inverurie, capturing the collective voice of rural communities across Europe and outlining commitments and demands for future action.
Jillian said: “This event showed the passion, strength and diversity in rural communities, not just here in Scotland but across Europe. It was a privilege to be able to attend and contribute to discussions on youth, rural industries, and community collaboration.”
Read Jillian’s full, detailed report on the event here.