On April 17th, the activities of the multi-actor platform MAP Leski-Bieszczadzki in Poland were initiated during the Polish kick-off meeting of the ESIRA Project. ERDN (European Rural Development Network), as one of the project partners, is tasked with establishing two multi-actor platforms in Poland.

The session was effectively led by ERDN researcher Katarzyna Gizińska, orchestrating a gathering that brought together representatives spanning various sectors, including business, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Local Action Groups (LAGs), and local government, all convened around a single table. The topic of discussion was social exclusion and social economy – different aspects in the Leski and Bieszczady poviats.

The meeting was organised at Zagroda Magija Bieszczady in Orelec – a place that facilitates specific region’s traditions and wooden architecture, surrounded by forest and meadows. In this region, old Podkarpackie cottages have undergone a remarkable revitalization, rescued from obscurity to serve as thriving hubs for agrotourism and as inspiring spaces for creative endeavors.

Photo: Elżbieta Sawicka