Rural Community Development Across These Islands:

In conversation with civic society organisations from Wales and Northern Ireland

The Centre for Cross Border Studies cordially invites you to a gathering of rural development civic society organisation from Wales and Northern Ireland, kindly hosted by the Consulate General of Ireland in Cardiff.

Date: 24^th May, 1pm – 2:30 followed by lunch
Location: Consulate General of Ireland, 2 Caspian Point, Caspian Way, Cardiff CF10 4DQ
RSVP: megan.mcdermott@qub.ac.uk

Civic society organisations working on rural community issues in Wales, Ireland, and Northern Ireland have built successful cross-border relationships of cooperation, recognising the many overlapping concerns, challenges and opportunities for rural development within and between these islands. However, this is not without its challenges. Differing policy contexts across all three jurisdictions and the UK’s departure from the EU threaten to put a strain on the capacity and resources of rural development organisations engaging in cooperation.

This gathering of Wales and Northern Ireland rural development civic society organisations will consider challenges and lessons for cooperation in a changing landscape as well as exploring existing and potential mechanisms for continued East-West cooperation. It will also provide a chance for Welsh organisations to engage with their Northern Ireland counterparts on shared challenges and common opportunities between these islands.

The gathering is an initiative of the ‘New Common Charter for Cooperation Within and Between these Islands’, a long-running project of the Centre for Cross Border Studies, based in Armagh, Northern Ireland. The Charter is a set of agreed principles created by and for civic society organisations participating in North-South and East-West cooperation. It acts as an informal network of civic society groups committed to identifying cross-border opportunities to collaborate to solve shared problems or exploit common resources. On rural issues, the Charter commits supporter organisations to:

• Promote and support rural proofing and regionally balanced budgeting and resourcing
• Advocate for the provision of affordable, accessible and regular transport services, especially in rural areas and border regions
• Exploit the potential of cross-border rural tourism
• Increase the protection and enjoyment of the environment as well as the cooperation of environmental advocates and authorities within and between these islands

Please RSVP to megan.mcdermott@qub.ac.uk before Thursday 18^th May to confirm your place.