On 23–24 June 2026, the ENRICH-US partnership met in Kraków, Poland, for the second project meeting. The meeting focused on the progress achieved so far, exchange of knowledge among partners and preparation of the next steps towards sustainable eco-cultural tourism development in the project’s pilot territories.
The first day took place in Kraków and was dedicated mainly to joint working sessions. Project partners presented the results of their territorial analyses, diagnoses of local governance needs and stakeholder mapping. The programme also included presentations of prepared case studies and discussions on how to involve local stakeholders in participatory decision-making and pilot preparation.
IRR presented the progress achieved in the Czech pilot territory of Bystřice, including the results of the governance diagnosis, stakeholder mapping and the preparation of the local participatory process. The discussion with partners helped place the Czech pilot experience in a broader transnational context and compare approaches across different Central European territories.
The second day of the programme took place in the municipality of Łapanów, one of the Polish pilot areas of the project. The agenda included a Transnational Dissemination Event, meetings with local municipal representatives and stakeholders, and a local study visit. Partners visited the castle in Wieruszyce and an agritourism farm in Kobylec, gaining first-hand insight into the local context, development potential and examples of linking tourism, local identity and community-based development.
The programme concluded with a Steering Committee meeting, where partners discussed upcoming deadlines, tasks and next implementation steps. Particular attention was given to the continuation of participatory activities in the pilot territories, preparation of pilot action concepts and coordination of upcoming communication and dissemination activities.
The second project meeting in Poland represented an important milestone in the implementation of ENRICH-US. It enabled partners to share first results, validate ongoing approaches and prepare the transition from the analytical phase towards practical stakeholder engagement and pilot testing in the participating territories.
ENRICH-US is implemented under the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE programme. The project aims to empower rural and inland communities through sustainable eco-cultural tourism, participatory decision-making and stronger cooperation between the public, private and civil society sectors.