Above all, we were aiming for the success of our first European cooperation project, and a positive learning experience for the participants. Our objectives were summed up by a central ambition: "To improve the (cultural and natural) environments of European rural youth." This ambition was subdivided into two main areas: on the one hand, a strong desire to act on the ability of associations to act on the dynamism of rural areas, and therefore to act with young people and local communities, to better understand their contexts through comparison with other realities, but also to better support and enhance existing initiatives. On the other hand, we were aiming for a real improvement in our eco-event practices (local anchoring, public-environment links, consumption circuits, etc.) and an increase in the number of spaces for social links and citizen cultural offerings in our territories. In short, this European cooperation aimed to equip the participating structures to locally create conditions for a dynamic, citizen-led and inclusive rurality, capable of facing the challenges of climate change.
Our cooperation project was motivated by two major challenges: revitalizing and strengthening the resilience of Europe's rural areas. Indeed, our 3 associations, brought together because they work to promote social cohesion in rural areas, notably through cultural events, shared a common diagnosis: Europe's rural areas are dying, and we need to improve their viability and attractiveness! The sometimes difficult living conditions (distance from services, lack of social spaces...) make these areas unwelcoming and dynamic, pushing young people towards the cities and threatening the future of rural areas without young workers. Environmental issues are also one of the major challenges of the 21st century. Our structures see in the necessary metamorphosis of practices an important (and essential) development opportunity for rural areas and their populations. The RECOS project therefore set out to explore the role of socio-cultural structures in the development of rural youth, and in supporting local communities towards greater resilience and eco-citizen commitment.