On 15 and 16 January 2025, the first (1st) face-to-face meeting of the partners of the project “rEdESIGN” took place in Rethymno, at the structures of K.E.KA.P.E.P.R.-CRETE REGION of Crete.
The European project entitled: “Promoting social entrepreneurship in rural areas for sustainable food systems” and with acronym “rEdESIGN” is implemented by the Department of Education, Public Administration and Employment of the Development Department of Rethymno Region of Crete, as lead partner, under the Single Market Program (SMP) and funded by the European Innovation Council and Executive Committee for Small and Medium Enterprises (EISMEA).
The project started in September 2024 and has a total duration of two (2) years and is included in the four (4) projects approved under the call SMP-COSME-2023-RESILIENCE of the European Commission. The aim of the project is to strengthen cooperation between social enterprises in rural areas active in the agri-food sector in the regions of Crete (Greece), Sicily (Italy) and Andalusia (Spain), through building a European network of regional and local authorities with converging priorities for the social economy and creating space and opportunities at European Union level for learning and cooperation.
In addition to the Region of Crete, five (5) partners and one (1) associated partner (PRODETURE S.A./Spain) are participating in the project “REDESIGN”:
- European Centre in Training for Employment (ECTE) from Rethymno,
- Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Seville (CCSEV)
- Dos Hermanas City Council (Seville)
- Local Action Group – GAL Metropoli Est (Palermo/Sicily) composed of 15 municipalities and 17 private bodies.
- CASTELDACCIA City Council (Sicily)
The project partners will work on a series of modular activities grouped in six (6) Work Packages (WP).WP1: Project Management, Quality Assurance and Evaluation. WP2: Literature review and knowledge gathering on the current situation. WP3: Network development and capacity building. P4: Field visits and practical training. FP5: Policy recommendations and FP6: Dissemination, Exploitation, Communication (DEC).
During the workshop, the partners presented the progress of the activities they are coordinating in the first three (3) Work Packages and set the timelines for the individual Project Deliverables. In addition, they highlighted the need to focus on the quality of the deliverables, the adherence to the timelines as defined in the project’s digital platform as well as the need for Networking and Capacity Building.
The partners are currently working together to develop a comprehensive review of relevant literature, reports and recent EU projects related to the social economy and social innovation in rural areas. The review aims to gather a wide range of information and knowledge from existing sources, including academic research, project reports and policy documents. The ultimate aim is to produce reports or case studies that provide detailed information including implementation processes, results and lessons learned.
As part of the programme of meetings, the partners of the project had the opportunity to visit the Vice-Regional Governor of Rethymnon, Mrs. Maria Lioni, who referred to the extroversion of the Region with important transnational partnerships as well as to the networking and initiatives that has developed particularly in the field of social economy. At the same time she pointed out the need to invest in the results of the project and especially in the impact of the results in mountainous areas. During the meeting, the Vice-Regional Commissioner had the opportunity to be informed about the progress of the project and to discuss with the partners the actions they have developed in their regions. The partners of the project thanked the Vice-Regional Governor of Rethymnon for her contribution and cooperation. At the end of the meeting, the partners received as a souvenir of their visit materials for the promotion of Rethymnon.
It should be noted that the “rEdESIGN” project is a continuation of two previous European actions in which the Region of Crete participated, the MOVING project (Exploitation of Mountainous Areas through Connectivity and Green Development) and the DTRaIN project (Application of Design Thinking in Entrepreneurship in the agri-food sector).
