On 3-5 June, 2015 the Rural Communities Parliament “Creation of precondition for development of small towns and rural areas” will be held in Ligatne. The Parliament will gather representatives of rural communities from Latvia and at least 16 countries from the European Union, the Eastern Partnership, Central Asia and other countries. Participants together with policy makers and representatives of developmental organisations will discuss challenges for rural and small urban communities, establishing links with the topics and issues from the 18-month programme of the Council of the European Union and focusing on the priorities of the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the context of community development.Special attention will be drawn to the following issues: consolidate the economic potential of rural areas in order to strengthen competitiveness of the EU; improve the quality of life in rural areas and small towns by promoting development of civil society outside the centres of development; the mobility of citizens and ensuring access to services in a context of rural development.

Rural Communities Parliament will conclude with commonly developed Resolution - commitment of communities and policy makers to specific actions over the next two years as well as long-term actions. Participants of the Parliament will deliver the Resolution and the call to get involved in its implementation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia as well as the competent authorities of the Latvia and European Union. This Resolution will become a foundation for the questions, solutions and dissections that can be used within the 2nd European Rural Parliament in Scotland at the end of 2015.

Latvian Rural Forum (LRF) is a national non-governmental organisation, founded in 2004. The mission of LRF is to promote balanced development of Latvian rural territories in order to create an environment where contented people live, able to meet their economic and social needs at their residence. LLF unites 68 member organisations.

More on the website of LRF.