L’Aquila to host Forum LEADER 2026 for local development

The Forum LEADER 2026 is scheduled to take place in L’Aquila on October 28 and 29 at Palazzo Spaventa. Hosted by the GAL Gran Sasso Velino, this annual event brings together Italian Local Action Groups (GAL), institutional representatives, and experts to discuss participatory local development.

The program focuses on critical issues for rural areas, including the role of GALs in mountain area governance and strategies to address land abandonment through the LEADER method. Discussions will also cover the implementation of Local Development Strategies within the 2023-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and future programming perspectives for 2028-2034.