Smart Village Network

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België
Brussels
Smart Village Network

An independent network of rural communities, community groups & village associations with an interest in Smart Villages.

08/05/2026

🌱 How can our food systems become more sustainable?

We’ve just updated our agenda – and we’re happy to welcome Justine Dewitte from Belgium ('t Goed ter Heule) to the speaker lineup! 🇧🇪

There’s still time to join us for this online session on 12 May (18:00–20:00 CET), where we’ll explore practical perspectives on sustainable food systems.

Speakers:

Iván Gyulai – Ecological gardening (HU)
Justine Dewitte – Short-chain organic farming (BE)
Piotr Ostaszewski – Regenerative agriculture & Farm to Fork (PL)
Mátyás Bekecs – Large-scale sustainable farming (HU)

From small-scale gardens to larger farms, we’ll look at how food production and everyday choices shape the health of our communities and environment.

💬 Short talks + open discussion – bring your questions!

📅 12 May 2026
🕕 18:00–20:00 CET
💻 Online (Zoom)

👉 Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/a9svb2cIS3-2pNxo88agzw

Ökológiai Intézet a Fenntartható Fejlődésért Alapítvány Ostoja Natury

03/05/2026

What makes rural areas attractive places to live – and what urgently needs to improve?

Answer the Community Pulse - link in the comments👇

Share your views by 14 May and help highlight priorities for thriving rural communities - It only takes 2-3 minutes and the answers are anonymous!

Netzwerk Zukunftsraum Land Vlaams Ruraal Netwerk Réseau wallon PAC Ruralni razvoj RH Réseau national Agricultures et Ruralités 2023 - 2027 Deutsche Vernetzungsstelle Ländliche Räume Maaseutu - Tilaa elämälle Magyar Nemzeti Vidéki Hálózat

01/05/2026

🌱 From ecological gardening to regenerative farming—what does sustainable food really look like in practice?

After a really inspiring first SURE online session on 23 April with 180+ participants, we’d love to keep the conversation going and bring people together to share ideas and learn from each other.

📅 12 May
🕕 18:00–20:00 (CET)
💻 Online (Zoom)

Join us for an open and informal online session where you’ll hear from people working with food and land in different ways.

🌿 Ivan Gyulai (Ökológiai Intézet a Fenntartható Fejlődésért Alapítvány, Hungary) — Ecological gardening
🌱 Piotr Ostaszewski (Ostoja Natury Poland) — Regenerative agriculture & Farm to Fork
🌾 Mátyás Bekecs (Hungary) — Large-scale sustainable farming

From small-scale growing to large-scale farming, we’ll look at how different approaches can support healthier communities and more resilient food systems—and then have an open discussion.

📝 Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/a9svb2cIS3-2pNxo88agzw

We’re really looking forward to seeing you at the event!

22/04/2026

Curious how communities across Europe are working towards more sustainable ways of living?

Join us tomorrow for an online session and hear directly from people working on practical solutions—from food and housing to energy and everyday life.

SURE: Stories of Change, Rooted in Community
📅 23 April
⏰ 14:00–16:00 CET
💻 Online

You can still sign up:
https://www.smart-village-network.eu/events/sustainable-and-resilient-communities-sure-intro-event

Speakers include Edina Ocskó (Smart Village Network), Iván Gyulai (Ecological Institute for Sustainable Development), Paul Hendriksen (Aardehuis Ecovillage), Fritz Pichler (Stanz Energy Community), and Máytás Révai (Regenerative Development & Education Foundation)

More about the project👉 https://e40.typeform.com/SUREproject

07/04/2026

Great discussions on community and youth work in small villages at the Spring Workshop Conference in Budapest, organised by Második Hullám Vidékfejlesztési és Ifjúsági Szövetség and KIFESZ.

The event brought together community leaders, researchers, practitioners and local decision-makers to share practical experiences on strengthening rural communities. The programme covered youth engagement, community initiatives, EU opportunities and future rural development perspectives.

Edina Ocskó, Vice-Chair of the European Rural Pact Coordination Group and representative of the Smart Village Network , contributed to the discussions by highlighting upcoming changes in rural development within the Common Agricultural Policy.

More than 50 participants joined the workshop, creating an inspiring and forward-looking exchange on the future of small rural communities.

31/03/2026

🌱 Curious how communities across Europe are experimenting with more sustainable ways of living?

Join us for an informal online session and hear directly from local changemakers working on real solutions — from food and housing to energy and everyday sustainable living.

SURE: Stories of Change, Rooted in Community
📅 23 April
⏰ 14:00–16:00 CET
💻 Online
Register here: https://www.smart-village-network.eu/events/sustainable-and-resilient-communities-sure-intro-event

What to expect:

🟢 14:00–14:25 Stories that brought us here – The SURE journey
with Edina Ocskó Smart Village Network

🟢 14:25–15:45 Places, People, Practice, Policy
Panel with:
• Iván Gyulai (HU) – sustainable food & organic farming Ökológiai Intézet a Fenntartható Fejlődésért Alapítvány
• Paul Hendriksen (NL) – Earthship housing & ecovillage Aardehuis
• Fritz Pichler (AT) – renewable energy & energy communities im Mürtzal

🟢 15:45–16:00 What’s next? – Looking ahead together

👉 Join the SURE Community:
https://e40.typeform.com/SUREproject

23/03/2026

📢 New deadline extension for the NEB Boost for Small Municipalities! ➡️🗓️ 29 March 2026, 19:00 CET

This extension gives you more time to submit your community-led project focused on the built environment.

New municipalities have also been added to the list of eligible entities!

Check the guide and apply here: https://link.europa.eu/cJ8y8v

EU Science Hub - Joint Research Centre

23/03/2026

🌱 Join the SURE Community for Sustainable Change! 🌱

Are you passionate about creating real solutions for food, housing, and energy in your community?

The SURE (Sustainable and Resilient Communities) project is bringing people together to turn ideas into action — through hands-on learning, collaboration, and real impact.

👉 More info on SURE: https://www.smart-village-network.eu/services/exchanges-and-networking/sure

💡 What we focus on:

• Sustainable & healthy food for all
• Circular and sustainable housing
• Local renewable energy communities

✨ What’s in it for you?

• Learn practical skills you can use immediately
• Connect with like-minded changemakers
• Share experiences and challenges
• Discover real-life solutions that work
• Help shape your community’s future

Join us for our first online event:
🗓 23 April
⏰14:00 CET
Register here: https://www.smart-village-network.eu/events/sustainable-and-resilient-communities-sure-intro-event

👉 Be part of the journey:
https://e40.typeform.com/SUREproject

Let’s build resilient communities together 💚

03/03/2026

🌿 Great opportunity for small municipalities!

The NEB Boost for Small Municipalities is back — awarding 20 prizes to inspiring, community-led projects across Europe.

This is a fantastic chance for small towns and villages that are:
✅ engaging citizens through participation and co-design
✅ working in line with New European Bauhaus values
✅ transforming their built environment in sustainable and inclusive ways

If your community is shaping positive local change, this is your moment to get recognised at European level. ✨

⏰ Apply by 17 March
👉 link.europa.eu/TD3x6v

26/02/2026

We’re pleased to see strong momentum around and the growing recognition of Smart Villages across Europe.

Local innovation, citizen engagement, and cooperation remain key drivers of resilient rural communities. Over 460 Smart Village strategies in Italy alone show the scale of transformation underway.

EU CAP Network

26/02/2026

🌿 Upcoming webinar on Smart Villages & territorial instruments

On 22 April (09:00–13:00 CEST), the Rural Pact Support Office is organising an online Good Practice Webinar on:

Territorial instruments (LEADER/CLLD, ITIs and Smart Villages): lessons for the future

The session will explore how these approaches work in practice, showcasing experiences from rural areas across Europe and sharing lessons that can inform future implementation and policy design.

The webinar is particularly relevant for:
• public authorities (local, regional, national)
• programme designers and implementers
• promoters of territorial instruments
• local project holders and rural actors

If you’re working on Smart Villages, LEADER/CLLD or territorial cooperation, this could be a valuable discussion.

📅 22 April 2026
🕘 09:00–13:00 (CEST)
💻 Online
🗣 English

More information and registration:
👉 https://ruralpact.rural-vision.europa.eu/events/good-practice-webinar-territorial-instruments-leaderclld-integrated-territorial-investments_en

European Rural Pact Smart Village Network

Adres

Brussels
1192

Website

https://www.smart-village-network.eu/

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