Empowering young people to boost rural areas - Talks

“Empowering young people to boost rural areas”, an EU Region Talk hosted by the Representation of the Government of Galicia in Brussels [Fundación Galicia Europa (FGE)], and attended by local and regional representatives of different Member States, emphasized that connectivity—across all its dimensions—can be a critical factor in empowering youth in rural areas, where such connections are often lacking. Drawing from various European projects, it became evident that young people can thrive and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of sparsely populated regions when provided with an ecosystem that fosters connections with entrepreneurs, institutions, and like-minded individuals.

As outlined during the event, the journey towards these outcomes itself offers valuable insights into building resilient rural communities where young people are empowered to innovate, collaborate, and create their own solutions to common problems. This was explored by FGE in partnership with organizations from other Member States in three European projects:

I. The Rural Youth of Europe project, were young people from Spain, Portugal, Malta, and Romania engaged in a transnational dialogue to explore various aspects of rural Europe. Through diverse hackathons and other interactive formats, participants had the chance to connect with key stakeholders, including public bodies, entrepreneurs, and fellow young rural leaders to develop their proposals and solutions.

II. The YouLeaders project, funded by the Erasmus+ programme, thanks to which youth from Spain, Italy, and Portugal were encouraged to tackle real-world challenges related to rural development, highlighting the vital role young people from rural and geographically isolated areas play as drivers of sustainable development and social innovation. Their efforts are key to fostering community development across Europe.

III. The Dyas project, implemented in collaboration with Portuguese partners and focused on building the digital skills of young people in the context of the digital transition for SMEs. Once equipped with these competencies, the youth become Digital Ambassadors for SMEs, sharing their knowledge with businesses in their regions and contributing to the digital transformation of rural economies.

A common thread runs through all these initiatives: empowering young people to make a lasting impact in rural and sparsely populated areas, giving them the tools and opportunities to exercise their right to remain in and revitalize their communities. In this context, Galicia—along with other European regions—has demonstrated how young people can become powerful agents of change, even in the most remote corners of Europe.


Background

This event was part of the promotional activities of the European Entrepreneurial Region Award 2025 of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), won by Galicia on account of its promotion of business initiatives that help address issues characteristic of rural areas, such as aging or depopulation.

Galicia EER2025 (#GaliciaEER25) represents a comprehensive strategy to boost entrepreneurship in Galician rural areas through a tailor-made approach. As exemplified by the European projects in which the Representation of the Government of Galicia in Brussels (Fundación Galicia Europa) is a partner, the region is fully committed in supporting local entrepreneurs and established businesses to function as catalysts for economic development and job creation through this holistic strategy.