Hilvarenbeek is a rural municipality in the Kempen region in the south of the Netherlands. To address several societal, economic and environmental issues a service organisation called ‘Tussenheid/Hilvarenbeek Smart Village’ (HSV) was created in 2014.

It ...

The earliest occupation dates from the Muslim period, when a beautiful cistern was built in the centre of the village. The walls, with their characteristic circular towers, were built by King Afonso IX of León, while the church of Rocamador was a must for ...

An ancient medieval castle, it was for centuries the first line of defence for portuguese territory, and its defensive structures have undergone successive modernisations throughout its history. A jewel of military bastion architecture, it has a hexagonal ...

Its thousand-year-old castle preserves one of the oldest Mozarabic towers. It was a frontier town, the scene of several battles that marked the birth and independence of the Kingdom of Portugal. It received important royal privileges and was the site of a ...

This historic village, located on a spur of land, was originally inhabited by the Aravos, a Lusitanian people who were later conquered by the Romans, who founded a town here. Occupied by the Arabs, it was conquered by Ferdinand the Great in 1063. A new cas ...

Located in the heart of the Serra da Gardunha, a Regional Protected Landscape, it was a defensive castle, but above all it served as a guarantor of the organisation of these territories during the consolidation of Portugal's borders.
It preserves a vast ar ...

Koppány-valley Naturpark covers an area of some 16,000 hectares and integrates 10 small villages along the Koppány-creek, with a total population of 2100 people. A LEADER Action Group also operates in the area. Relevant fields of development include addre ...

Mukařov is a village with 2500 inhabitants located 30 km from Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. It consists of three parts (former independent communities) - Mukařov, Srbín and Žernovka. Mukařov is within a satellite ring of the capital city with ...

Association Juras Zeme is a Local Action Group working in two coastal counties of Latvia Carnikavas and Saulkrastu - that consist mainly of villages. Juras Zeme aims to develop and implement a strategy for sustainable development using the principles of p ...

Oliete is a vibrant example of a Smart Village that has proven how community-based initiatives can turn into entrepreneurial stories able to revert the depopulation trend and build a promising future.

Leveraged in the strong social and relational capital ...

Vila Boa do Bispo is located in the North of Portugal. Our village has a very dynamic community where youth and sports organisations thrive and social institutions provide diverse and comprehensive support to the population. This small village has rich nat ...

We plan to retrieve the attractiveness of our traditional farm village using modern and smart approaches. Giving new perspective to this beautiful patch of land and its people motivates us. Sustainability does not happen. Striving for the new while fosteri ...

LEADER AISAPARI is a local action group for six rural municipalities in western Finland and it has funded hundreds of local development projects since 1999. The population of the Leader Aisapari area is 51,200. The economic structure of the area is dominat ...

The Monsanto inselberge forms a granite spur that rises to an altitude of 762 metres where a castle founded during the reconquest from the Arabs stands. Its natural beauty and rich heritage have made it the setting of choice for films and series, but also ...

Nestled on the slopes of the Serra do Açor, this historic village built of schist is a symbol of harmonious adaptation to the challenges of the terrain. Declared an Asset of Public Interest in 1978, it is now in the process of being declared a National Mon ...

Torup, situated on a peninsula between sea and fjord 60 km to the North West of Copenhagen, with its 372 inhabitants, is a hub of many diverse initiatives and activities, including a music hall, Torup Booktown with second-hand books and cultural events, Fa ...

The village is located to some 40-45 minutes drive from Austria and also relatively close to the Slovenian border. The village is fighting to reverse the process through innovative approaches, using the latest technologies, smart devices, and new mindsets ...

Among the modest houses, there are many remains of the ancient Roman city, the civitas Igaeditanorum. A temple at the top of the forum, some houses with courtyards and even a large public baths building have been identified in this meander of the river Pôn ...

Sortelha is one of the most beautiful and oldest villages in Portugal, preserving its urban and architectural physiognomy unchanged from the Renaissance to the present day. Visit the streets and alleys of the village, surrounded by a defensive ring from wh ...

The Association of Rural Development is a non-profit organisation and a Local Action Group (LAG) in Central Catalonia that aims to foster entrepreneurship in rural areas, especially through a strategic project on circular economy and improving ICT. We beli ...

Gaiba is a village on the border of Rovigo and Ferrara provinces with 1000 inhabitants overlooking the banks of the river Po, the longest river in Italy. The village is located between Venice and Bologna, in a rural and agricultural-oriented area. The new ...

LAG Dunarea de Sud is a local action group located in southern Romania in the plain area of the Danube meadow. The main objective of the development strategy of the 17 component villages is to increase the quality of life through a SMART approach and takin ...

In the heart of Kicevo, North Macedonia, lies a beacon of hope and progress: the Association for Belica Community Development (ABCD). Nestled within the tranquil landscapes of rural Belica, this community-driven organization is dedicated to the sustainable ...

The FVL Local Action Group was established to invest in the development of villages who are located in the area encompasses the rural Stirling, Clackmannanshire and West Dunbartonshire. We also includes a large part of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Nat ...

Monaghan Integrated Development works to support rural communities and villages in county Monaghan, Ireland to plan for their areas and to be in a position to confidently face the many challenges and opportunities from a social inclusion, employment and lo ...

LAG Prlekija includes 8 municipalities, in an area characterised by a diverse and well-preserved natural and cultural landscape, rich cultural and historical heritage and well-balanced mix of urban and rural settlements. The LAG strategy aims to transform ...

Land of Pedro Álvares Cabral, the navigator who discovered the Brazilian coast in the 16th century, it has an essentially Gothic castle, transformed into the palace of the Cabral family, and a church in Santiago de Compostela that deserves a long visit. Ho ...

It is an old town with a distinctly medieval character, made up of two distinct centres: the old town, with its original foundations, made up of a castle, a church ruin and remains of medieval urban planning, all surrounded by a 12th-century wall; and the ...

The municipality of Athienou is in the south edge of Mesaoria plain. During the Ottoman occupation itused to be a mid-road junction connecting the port of Larnaka with the capital Lefkosia. In Athienou the following educational institutions operate: nurser ...

A medieval town dating back to the 12th century, Linhares da Beira has a unique architectural and artistic diversity, testimony to its dense and rich history. In 1169, it was granted a charter by King Afonso Henriques, although it had already been honoured ...

Alsómocsolád is a village of 320 inhabitants, located in the Northern part of Baranya County, in the south of Hungary, the gateway of the Baranya Ridge, one of the pearls of our closer environment thanks to its outstanding natural values.
The municipality ...

In Boekel Ecovillage we will provide sustainably in our daily needs. By doing so, we contribute solutions for all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) , in collaboration with our environment. That is why we have also received the EU SDG Award for SDG 11!

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SECAD Partnership enables rural communities across the Island of Ireland to develop strategies and actions to promote their vibrancy and sustainability under various themes including mobility, digital connectivity, biodiversity, social inclusion, economic ...

Smart Villages is a concept Kantri ry Leader embraces. Local development has limited resources, and it is important to use them smartly. Finland has a competition for Smart Villages and related development, based on multi-sectoral approach, and Kantri's ar ...

The municipality of Saint Marcel, which is part of the Plaine of Aosta, in Aosta Valley (Italy) has experienced a 16% population growth dynamic over the past 20 years (1131 residents in 2001 and 1312 residents in 2021), a dynamic that has not necessarily r ...

The Association of Historic Villages of Portugal, founded in 2007, is a private non-profit association that brings together public and private entities to work on the local development of the Network of Historic Villages of Portugal (NHVP), which includes ...

Iivantiira Village Society is a non-profit organisation, which on a voluntary and self-reliant basis improves the life conditions of inhabitants of the village neighborhood and the working conditions of local enterprises. The village has been - in terms of ...

Nagypáli is a village of 540 inhabitants in Zala county in Western Hungary. The village has been developed over the past 15 years building on its natural resources based on its Green Road Village Development Programme. Developments have focused on renewab ...

On behalf of the five Member Villages, Alsómocsolád, Bikal, Mágocs, Mekényes and Nagyhajmás we have launched the first Smart Region Pilot Project in Hungary. In our region among others we operate Digital Welfare Points and run robotics afternoon classes in ...