The Transnational Stakeholders Webinar will take place on 27 April 2026, bringing together key stakeholders to address rural ageing and depopulation across the SUDOE region.
The Interreg Sudoe RuralSilverHubs project is a cross-border initiative co-financed by the Interreg Sudoe Programme (2021–2027), with a total budget of approximately €1.3 million. Bringing together beneficiaries from Spain, France and Portugal, the Interreg Sudoe RuralSilverHubs project aims to respond to the pressing challenges of demographic ageing, depopulation and limited access to services in rural areas.
At the core of the Interreg Sudoe RuralSilverHubs project lies the promotion of the Silver Economy, understood as the set of economic activities linked to the needs and opportunities of people aged 55 and over. In this context, the Interreg Sudoe RuralSilverHubs project seeks to transform demographic trends into drivers of innovation, entrepreneurship and improved quality of life in rural territories.
To achieve this, the Interreg Sudoe RuralSilverHubs project is developing several strategic actions, including the creation of a rural observatory to analyse demographic and socio-economic data, the establishment of co-creation laboratories involving local stakeholders, and the implementation of pilot actions designed to be scalable and replicable across the SUDOE area.
The upcoming webinar will present the results of the stakeholder study carried out within the Interreg Sudoe RuralSilverHubs project, as well as share best practices and lessons learned in the identification and development of the Silver Economy in rural contexts. It will also contribute to strengthening cooperation among stakeholders and fostering new synergies at the transnational level.
The agenda will begin with a welcome and introduction by the project coordination of the Interreg Sudoe RuralSilverHubs project, led by the Diputación de Tarragona, followed by a series of territorial presentations from project beneficiaries, including SODEBUR, Universidade de Vigo, Finnova Foundation, Gérontopôle Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Silver Occitanie Cluster, Comunidade Intermunicipal do Algarve, Comunidade Intermunicipal do Ave and the Portuguese Red Cross.
An interactive Slido poll will allow participants to engage actively by sharing their profiles and perspectives in real time. The programme will also feature presentations of best practices in the Silver Economy, highlighting successful initiatives implemented in rural areas.
A central moment of the webinar will be the interactive round table discussion, where invited stakeholders will exchange views on territorial challenges, enabling factors and potential actions to strengthen the Silver Economy ecosystem in rural regions.
The session will conclude with a summary of the main outcomes and the presentation of the next steps of the Interreg Sudoe RuralSilverHubs project.
The webinar will take place online, hosted from Portugal, from 9:30 to 12:00 (GMT). Participation is free of charge, subject to prior registration, and the session will be held in English. Register at the following link: RuralSilverHubs Webinar – 27th of April