RuralNEXT - Extramadura, Spain
Description
RuralNEXT is one of the principal practical programs associated with the initiative. It is centred on Burguillos del Cerro and connects rural development with employment, inclusion, digitalization and innovation.
The project involves Fundación Repoblación together with local government, cooperatives and other organizations. Its stated objective is not simply to attract residents but to improve the conditions under which people can actually live and work in the territory.
The inauguration of the RuralNEXT space in March 2025 brought together Fundación Repoblación, Compañía Maximalista, the municipalities of Burguillos del Cerro and Valverde de Burguillos, the Junta de Extremadura and other partners. The project has been presented as an example of territorial innovation connecting employment, inclusion, digitalization and rural development.
The initiative also has a strong New European Bauhaus (NEB) dimension. The annual Rural NEB Fest uses the three NEB principles—beautiful, sustainable and together—as a framework for thinking about rural transformation.