Study tour to Galicia's farms

A Concordia group study tour will be visiting the Spanish region of Galicia to learn from the experiences of local farm businesses. The tour will focus on the use of EU funds for rural development and the relationship with the autonomous regional government.

Galicia has been in receipt of EU funding since 2000, working under the same common programmes as Northern Ireland, such as LEADER Plus.

Participants will meet officials to learn about local and regional partnership arrangements and visit local businesses such as 'La Painza', a diary farm and village redeveloped for rural tourism. Engagements with business people, local administrators and regional representatives will be arranged.

The tour should give participants an insight into the

• cultural context
• economic development
• political arrangements of an area with developing projects
• administration of rural business initiatives.

For further information and an application form please contact Concordia at 028 8778 8242 or info@concordiapartnership.org.

Closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 3 June 2005 at 5pm.