IV International Rural Network Conference – 19-24 June, 2005 – Abingdon, VA, USA

2005-06-19 08:00:00

Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center,
Abingdon, Virginia

Contact: http://irn.rupriconvene.org/

An international gathering of rural practitioners, policy makers, and researchers addressing place-based innovations in health, education, competitiveness and cultural sustainability.

The Rural Policy Research Institute

June 19 – 24, 2005

Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center

Abingdon, Virginia USA

Registration in now open for the 2005 International Rural Network http://www.internation-rural-network.org/ Conference and Exchange of Experiences. The Rural Policy Research Institute http://www.rupri.org/ will serve as host of this event to be held at the foothills of the Appalachian Highlands, Abingdon, Virginia USA. This gathering, to be held for the first time in the United States, will convene on Sunday, June 19 and run through Friday, June 24.

Building on the previous three conferences held in Queensland, Australia, Vancouver Island, Canada and Inverness, Scotland, this conference is designed to bring together practitioners from rural communities with rural policy makers and scholars. The conference will emphasize the sharing of practical experiences while highlighting the role of place and place- based innovation in local development, rural health, education, culture and environment, with attention to implications for rural policy and governance.

The SW VA Higher Education Center in Abingdon http://www.swcenter.edu/ will serve as the venue for this conference. “The Power of Place” will offer internationally known speakers, peer learning opportunities, over 100 cutting-edge presentations http://irn.rupriconvene.org/Abstracts.pdf and workshops, and an exhibit hall. Eight mobile workshops http://irn.rupriconvene.org/program.htm#wrkshops , centered in diverse locales in four states, will deepen participants’ experience of the region and offer relaxed opportunities to dialogue with local residents. Numerous arts and cultural events are being offered, including Mountain Tales and Music, an Appalshop production at the Barter Theatre and a five-day Appalachian film festival hosted by Appalshop. An optional trip to the Bristol NASCAR speedway is also offered.

Through the generous support of the Northwest Area Foundation, http://www.nwaf.org/ the WK Kellogg Foundation http://www.wkkf.org/ and the Appalachian Regional Commission http://www.arc.gov/index.jsp , a limited number of conference scholarships remain available for community practitioners. Click here for the scholarship application http://irn.rupriconvene.org/uscpappfinal.pdf .

Take this moment to join the IRN and register for this rich and exciting exchange of experience. Earlybird, lowest registration fees remain available until June 1 st. Conference hotel blocks will only be held until May 15 th. While the conference will be conducted in English, informal translation assistance will be provided by volunteers.