As part of the ESIRA project, the Hungarian Bodrogköz Multi-Actor Platform — established in the fall of 2024 — has spent the past six months identifying the key challenges that a dedicated working group of local residents, professionals, and municipal leaders will address through social innovation solutions over the next two years.

To deepen understanding of the role of social innovation in rural development, the lead consortium partner, the University of Burgos, has developed a six-module training curriculum for trainers. The Hungarian Reformed Church is the first ESIRA partner to introduce this knowledge base to Multi-Actor Platform members through both theoretical and practical training. This initiative aims to empower participants to develop innovative projects that respond effectively to the region’s challenges.

The first session of the training series took place on March 27, 2025, in Ricse, with 14 participants, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Judit Simonné Csoba. Together, MAP participants explored the history of social innovation, examined its theoretical foundations, and learned a practical method called backcasting, which involves envisioning an ideal future and working backward to define the steps needed to achieve it, rather than focusing solely on solving current problems.

The next session, scheduled for April, will apply co-creation methodologies to address environmental challenges in the Bodrogköz region, focusing on the theme of “Rural Green Transition.”