“We live in Parliamentary Republic, and you own a direct and unmediated power to help rural communities to get a second breath. Our role as an executive power is to enable you to act and not to do in your place,” said Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development Ilona Raugze in the final session of the First Latvian Rural Communities Parliament, that was held on June 7th to 8th in Preiļi and neighbouring municipalities. The First Latvian Rural Communities Parliament brought together around 190 activists from rural communities and supporters of all regions of Latvia.
In the informal atmosphere, which was created by improvised kitchen on the stage of Preiļi Culture center, participants of the First Latvian Rural Communities Parliament expressed different visions of rural communities and perspective of rural areas.
It was pointed out that local people should know better what is required for their community, but sometimes there is missing strength to recognize resources that help turn the crowd into a team. Also, the ability to see perspective in things and places confirms that “rural areas are not empty, but full of possibilities,” as said Ieva Jātniece, the head of the association “Ūdenszīmes”.
During discussions in working groups by sharing experience and listening to each other participants of the First Latvian Rural Communities Parliament were searching for new solutions to the old long-term problems. As a result, an action plan was made that is designed for coherent actions of communities, municipalities, ministries and Saeima for the next two years. Also representatives from The Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development and members of the Parliament (Saeima) were inspired by local initiatives. Encouraged by the greeting from the President of Latvia they expressed their will to collaborate.
The Action Plan includes solving issues such as to conclude legislation that promotes volunteering, to promote the idea of credit unions in rural areas, to train community leaders in rural areas, to rise the awareness of consumption of local products, to promote availability of flexible forms and content of life-long learning that is suitable for local needs of inhabitants in rural areas, to preserve intangible
resources in rural areas. There were also colleagues from Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania and Russia participating in The First Latvian Rural Communities Parliament. They were working in the group “Sustainable development of rural communities”.
“The perception of what is a production asset nowadays has changed. It is human brain and we must take care not to let this asset get away from the rural areas,” said Aija Tūna, coordinator of the SFL initiative „Change opportunities for schools”. “We are wise, we just need to turn this wisdom into the use!”
Steering group, which was formed in the Rural Communities Parliament, will finalize the action plan for next two years based on the proposals that were given by participants. Latvian Rural Forum will also inform stakeholders about action plan with an invitation to participate in its implementation. Every six months, the council of Latvian Rural Communities Parliament will evaluate the progress of the implementation of the action plan step by step, preparing for the Second Latvian Rural Communities Parliament in 2015 – year of Latvian Presidency of the Council of European Union.
In the last session of the First Latvian Rural Communities Parliament, a Member of the Parliament – Saeima, Zanda Kalniņa – Lukaševica, expressed her feeling that atmosphere in Parliament was very unifying while at the same time also generating a lot of new ideas that must be implemented in communities, local and national level. Director of youth association “Sava kabata” Marika Rudzīte-Griķe from Līvani added that everyone should do things that give pleasure and satisfaction and to search for cooperation with others who love what they do, because it creates positive energy.
