Launching Conference in Pskov

May 27-30, 2014  The Nordic Council of Ministers project "Modern  Entrepreneurship and Territorial Development in Rural Areas" was successfully launched in Pskov. 
 
This project unites represemtatives of state and local authorities, representatives of the expert community and entrepreneurial sector from Leningrad, Pskov, Arkhangelsk district and the Republic of Karelia, as well as partners from Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark. 
 
A goal of the project is to launch innovative territorial development of the participating regions through adaptation of Northern European models and strategies on modernization of the economy of rural areas, strengthening urban-rural partnership and interaction between municipalities of Nordic countries and Northwest Russia.

The kick off conference was held in a format of  3 interactive sessions, during the meetings there were the presentations of the project itself, of the best practices of Nordic countries and iniciatives of the Russian regions in the sphere of urban innovations along with 5 workshop programms on the first creative laboratory for rural areas development. 52 project partners participated in the sessions, among them - the leading experts of North Europe in the field of eco-innovations and agricultural economics Karen Refsgaard, Regional officer of Regional Council of Central Finland  Hannu Koponen, Manager of International Department of Jykes Ltd - Jyväskylä Regional Development Company for Russian Operations Minna Haapala,  as well as the representatives of the Russian regions. 

The key project partners from the Russian side: the International Centre for Social and Economic Research - Leontief Centre,  the State Committee of the Pskov region on Economic Development and Investment Policy, the Council of Municipalities of the Leningrad Region,     Non-profit partnership «Centre for Problems of the North, Arctic and Cross-border Cooperation», Institute of Economics of Karelian Research Centre, Support Center for Creative Industries – Futurist of Arkhangelsk region with the support of the Information Office of Nordic Council of Ministers in St. Petersburg and regional offices in Petrozavodsk and Arkhangelsk.  
 
The next meeting is planned to be held in a format of a roundtable discussion "Strategies and tools to modernize the economy of rural areas", that which will be held in St. Petersburg in the framework of GREEN DAY XIII All-Russian Forum "Strategic Planning in the Regions and Cities of Russia" (27-28 October 2014).

• Programme 
• List of participants (Rus) 
• Materials (Rus)