The Interreg Sudoe RuralSilverHubs project is a cross-border initiative co-financed by the Interreg Sudoe Programme (2021–2027), with a total budget of approximately €1.3 million. Bringing together beneficiaries from Spain, France and Portugal, the project aims to respond to the challenges of demographic ageing, rural depopulation and limited access to services in rural areas.
At the heart of the project is the promotion of the Silver Economy — understood as the set of economic activities linked to the needs and opportunities of people aged 55 and over. In this context, the project seeks to transform demographic trends into drivers of innovation, entrepreneurship and improved quality of life in rural territories.
To achieve this, the project develops several strategic actions, including the creation of a rural observatory to analyse demographic and socioeconomic data, the establishment of co-creation laboratories with local actors, and the implementation of scalable and replicable pilot actions across the SUDOE region.
The upcoming webinar will present the results of the stakeholder study, as well as good practices and lessons learned on Silver Economy development in rural contexts. It will also contribute to strengthening cooperation among actors and fostering new synergies at a transnational level.
The agenda will open with a welcome and introduction by the project coordination, led by the Diputació de Tarragona, followed by territorial presentations from the beneficiaries, including SODEBUR, Universidade de Vigo, Finnova Foundation, Gérontopôle Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Silver Occitanie Cluster, Comunidade Intermunicipal do Algarve, Comunidade Intermunicipal do Ave and Cruz Roja Portuguesa.
An interactive poll via Slido will enable active participation from attendees. The programme will also include presentations of good practices in the Silver Economy, highlighting successful initiatives implemented in rural areas.
A central moment will be the interactive round table, where stakeholders will exchange views on territorial challenges, enabling factors and potential actions to strengthen the Silver Economy ecosystem in rural regions.
The session will close with a summary of the main outcomes and a presentation of the next steps of the Interreg Sudoe RuralSilverHubs project.
The webinar will be held online from Portugal, from 9:30 to 12:00 (GMT). Participation is free of charge, subject to prior registration, and the session will be conducted in English.
Register at the following link: RuralSilverHubs Webinar – 27th of April