NURISH Project kicks-off in Athens: Rural Communities Unite for Climate Action

The European project NURISH – NURturing transformative capacities, Innovation in Nature-based Solutions and Harmonious resilience in rural areas officially kicked off with its inaugural consortium meeting, held from 22 to 24 October 2025 at the Serafeio Athletic and Community Complex in Athens.

Hosted by the project coordinator, the Sanitary Engineering Laboratory of the National Technical University of Athens (SEL NTUA), the three-day meeting brought together representatives of the 27 partner organizations from eight European countries, along with the European Commission Project Officer and DG RTD representatives, to plan the project’s roadmap and upcoming activities.

Three days of co-creation and collaboration

The Athens kick-off meeting opened with a presentation by the Project Coordinator Prof. Simos Malamis and the coordinating team of SEL NTUA: Vassiliki Missa - Project Manager, Alexandra Tsatsou - Technical Manager, Andriani Galani - Quality Manager and WP6 leader. The team introduced project’s vision, structure, and objectives. Over the following sessions, each work-package leader outlined the technical and strategic pillars that will guide NURISH over its 54-month implementation period. 

Participants also joined thematic discussions covering community engagement, digital tools, and demonstration activities, as well as the planning of knowledge-transfer actions and dissemination strategies. The event concluded with interactive workshops focused on the creation of the NURISH Community Centers, the local co-creation spaces that will serve as the heart of learning and participation within each Resilience Hub. 

Empowering rural resilience through innovation

NURISH will strengthen the capacity of rural and small-town communities to adapt to climate change by co-creating, testing, and reapplying Nature-based Solutions (NbS). The project will develop and implement the Regenerative Rural Resilience Framework (RRRF) that integrates community engagement, digital innovation, and circular-economy practices to help rural regions thrive while addressing climate challenges such as flooding, drought, desertification, biodiversity loss, and wildfires. 

The project will demonstrate tangible, locally adapted solutions in four Resilience Hubs (RHs) located in Greece, Cyprus, Finland, and the United Kingdom, and will transfer and upscale them through five Resilience Nodes (RNs) in Greece, Spain, Italy, Malta, and the UK. 

A shared European commitment

NURISH contributes directly to the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, the European Green Deal, and the EU Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas 2040. By combining scientific research, digital innovation, and community empowerment, the project aims to help rural territories become stronger, more connected, and more resilient by 2030. In the words of the project partners:

“Rural areas are on the front line of the climate crisis. Through NURISH we aim to unlock their inner strengths combining Nature-based Solutions, local knowledge, and innovation to build regenerative futures”