Today (Wednesday) a number of delegates has arrived at Dunston Hall, Norwich. Meeting with them, preliminary to the International Policy Forum tomorrow, the two scientists present, Mr Dirk Strijker and Mr Willem Foorthuis discuss changes in the rural world.
They interrogate representatives from several rural areas around the Northsea. As is to be expected, views on the ways to tackle those changes do not differ very much.
Some soundbytes.
"Regional branding is very important," one of the Meetjesland delegates declares. "Also, the percentage of elderly people is rising."
Vince Muspratt, Norfolk delegate, indicates there is more to this than just the seniority problem. "There are two separated economies developing," he states, "Young people are not able any more to build themselves an existence: e.g. housing is way overpriced. At the same time, they are the ones who are expected to take care of the elderly."
Some people argue, that future urban and rural development should be more in balance, more mutual. "This will not happen," Willem Foorthuis states. "Rural stands for slower, less."
So, there is no such thing as 'rurban'.
Vince Nuspratt again: "Apart from being 'slower' maybe, village people are scared of the urban life. They have not enough confidence and feeling of self-esteem; they don't feel able to cope with the big city life."
"The rural world is gone! We must look for a new vitality", Mr Foorthuis concludes.
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