NPA Annual Event 2021 - Redefining Peripherality

HEATER partners from HANDIHEAT and SMARTrenew meet during the NPA Annual Conference in Sligo.

L-R: NPA Programme Manager Christopher Parker, Catherine Savage, Robert Clements, Amy Lewis, Alma Gallagher (HANDIHEAT), Dr Nick Timmons (SMARTrenew) and Brendan Mooney (EU Programmes Executive)

L-R: HANDIHEAT members Amy Lewis, Catherine Savage & Alma Gallagher

A graphic illustrator created a visual summary of the event, including three thematic sessions: Innovation capacity, Climate change and resources sufficiency & Natural and Cultural heritage.

On Wednesday 27th October the first hybrid NPA Annual Event took place both online and in Sligo (Ireland) gathering 150 participants. This was a great opportunity for HEATER partners from HANDIHEAT and SMARTrenew to officially meet in person and network with colleagues from various NPA projects.

The conference offered an opportunity to discuss how the perception of the periphery has changed, and initiated or accelerated changes, for example, in ways of working, living, providing services, and making decisions in the Northern Periphery and Arctic. The benefits of cooperation across Arctic and near-Arctic regions also emerged, showing how the exchange of knowledge and expertise between the regions plays a key role in building response capacity and preparedness for the future.

This was a really inspiring day and wonderful to see the collaborative knowledge transfer of so many project partners across rural and peripheral regions.

A summary of the conference, as well as the speakers' presentations and visual summaries of the sessions are available on the event webpage.