The EU-Moldova LEADER Conference has gathered the LAGs in the country to celebrate the results of the LEADER approach

Between 2 and 4 April 2019, the EU-Moldova LEADER Conference took place – the first international event of its kind, which celebrated the results of the implementation of the LEADER approach in the Republic of Moldova.

The conference gathered around 500 guests – representatives of different institutions and organizations interested in sharing the LEADER experience in Moldova and the EU, such as the European Commission, central Moldovan authorities, the European networks LEADER, the representatives of the Local Action Groups (LAGs) in Moldova and Europe.

The guests of the event took advantage of the opportunity to find out about the effectiveness of implementing pilot projects through the LEADER approach, participated in discussions and workshops, and signed important cooperation agreements.

An important event at the Conference was the approval of the LAG on the consolidation and implementation of the LEADER approach in the Republic of Moldova. Ten LAGs also signed a grant agreement to implement pilot projects at the local level. Eight LAGs were created. During the event, the request for joining the LEADER National Network of the Republic of Moldova was submitted to ELARD (European Leader Association for Rural Development). Subsequently, on 10 April 2019 the National LEADER Network officially became a member of the European family LEADER.

At the EU-Moldova LEADER Conference, an outdoor fair was organized, where representatives of about 30 LAGs came with their local products and offered them for exhibition, tasting and sale. The fair was organized in order to promote rural products, traditions and elements of local tourism, present in micro-regions.

And on April 4, on the last day of the event, site visits were organized to the LAGs in Moldova for participants from other countries to discover the beauty of rural areas, as well as to find out about the results of LEADER activities, i.e. the success stories of the pilot-projects in the Republic of Moldova.

We remind that there are currently 32 LEADER initiatives in the Republic of Moldova.

The EU-Moldova LEADER Conference was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment of the Republic of Moldova in cooperation with the National LEADER Network, the National Rural Development Network and the financial support of the European Union. Solidarity Fund PL of Moldova was the key partner of the event.

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