Podlaskie’s Rural Voice Echoes at CASPER Seminar Opening
Białystok, Poland – The CASPER Project seminar kicked off on May 13, 2025, at the Podlaskie Library in Białystok, drawing attention to the growing urgency of rural depopulation in the Podlaskie Voivodeship and other shrinking regions across Europe. Local and regional leaders gave a compelling introduction to the realities facing communities on the edge—and why citizen involvement is critical for long-term solutions.
A Region with Deep Roots and Present Struggles
The seminar opened with remarks by Łukasz Prokorym, Marshal of the Podlaskie Voivodeship, and Jacek Piorunek, Member of the Board. Both stressed that while the region has a proud history and strong identity, it is now battling serious demographic pressures.
“This isn’t just a statistical issue—it’s a human one,” said Piorunek. “Behind every number is a person or a family that has left or feels disconnected. That must change.”
Their comments reflected not only concern but determination. Both leaders emphasized the value of projects like CASPER, which aim to empower citizens and create place-based solutions.
Podlaskie in Context: Challenges and Opportunities
In one of the most data-driven and insightful sessions of the day, Michał Szczepura, Deputy Director of the Business Promotion Bureau, presented a detailed portrait of Podlaskie today.
Historically shaped by its border location, strong agricultural sector, and post-communist transition, the region has seen an accelerated decline in population, especially among youth. His presentation, based on local data and trends, revealed that Podlaskie is one of the fastest-shrinking regions in the EU, and may lose over 35% of its population by 2050 if action is not taken.
Yet, Szczepura also spoke about hope. He highlighted Podlaskie’s cross-border assets, local products, and ecological richness, calling them “ingredients for a new rural vision.”
“Our challenge is to create a future that holds people here, not just physically, but emotionally and economically,” he said.
CASPER: Why Citizen Activation Matters
This strong local framing perfectly introduced the mission of CASPER: to strengthen regional resilience by putting citizen participation at the center of development.
Throughout the project, regions like Podlaskie are collaborating with partners from Finland, Italy, France, Hungary, and Poland to learn from each other and develop policies that reflect local strengths, not just centralised strategies.
The opening day was not only about speeches. It was a call to action, signaling a shift from talking about problems to building community-driven solutions.
A European Problem, a Local Voice
What made the seminar especially powerful was its emotional clarity. These weren’t just official remarks—they were stories of a region fighting for its future.
From leaders to local planners, the message was clear: People don’t just need services, they need reasons to stay, return, and thrive.
With that, the first day of the seminar set a hopeful and urgent tone, preparing the ground for deeper sessions on EU tools, innovation, and citizen-led design in the days to come.
Stay tuned for the next article: “From Policy to Practice: EU Experts Offer Tools for Rural Renewal.”