On Wednesday, 4 November 2026, Tierras del Cid and Rural Move will present the results of ROOTRURAL and the proposals developed with rural communities in Spain and Portugal.
Under the theme “From Scarcity to a Culture of Opportunity in the Douro Region”, the event will bring together the work carried out over recent months, the main lessons learned and the proposals developed through the participation of residents, associations, businesses, young people and local government representatives.
The presentation will take place at the Doña Jimena Adult Education Centre in San Esteban de Gormaz, with online access via Zoom. It will begin at 19:00 in Spain (18:00 in mainland Portugal) and is open to everyone interested in the development and future of rural communities.
From identifying challenges to developing proposals
Throughout 2026, ROOTRURAL has combined entrepreneurship training, co-creation labs, mentoring and international exchanges to identify needs and explore solutions to the challenges shared by rural communities in Soria and Miranda do Douro.
Six participatory labs — four in Soria and two in Portugal — brought together 169 participants to work on 28 challenges related to tourism, culture, remote working, housing, young people and the future of rural communities. Seven proposals were selected for further development, including initiatives to improve access to housing, connect young people with local businesses, restore services and promote new cultural and tourism activities.
The project has also provided entrepreneurship training to 43 people and mentoring support to 14 projects in Spain and Portugal, while establishing connections with European professionals and organisations.
A guide to continue working towards the future of rural communities
The event will include the presentation of the Rural Transformation Guide, bringing together the methodology, experiences and lessons learned throughout the project. It is intended as a reference for associations, local authorities and organisations seeking to promote citizen participation, entrepreneurship and new opportunities in their territories.
Participants will also learn about a study on perceptions of the future of rural communities, which collected 206 responses in Spain and Portugal. The study explores how messages from families, educators and the wider community can influence young people’s views about staying in or returning to rural areas.
The presentation will be an opportunity to share ideas, reflect on the proposals developed and discuss how to take them forward. Everyone who participated in the workshops and labs is invited, alongside local authorities, associations, businesses, entrepreneurs and residents interested in future collaboration.
Event details
Date: Wednesday, 4 November 2026.
Time: 19:00 in Spain / 18:00 in mainland Portugal.
Venue: Doña Jimena Adult Education Centre, San Esteban de Gormaz, and online via Zoom.
Registration: Register for the presentation.
Roots and Horizons: Cultivating a Culture of Opportunities in the Territory
Funded by: European Union through the Erasmus+ (2025-1-ES01-KA210-ADU-000353379),in collaboration with the Spanish National Agency SEPIE.
The “ROOT RURAL” project is co-funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors, Asociación Tierras Sorianas del Cid and Rural Move, and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Spanish Service for the Internationalization of Education (SEPIE). Neither the European Union nor the SEPIE National Agency can be held responsible for them.
