On 13 and 14 June 2019, North Macedonia held its first National Rural Parliament (NRP) in Krushevo.

Its purpose was to:

1. create a national platform for rural civil society organizations (CSOs), local action groups and associations for agriculture and rural development with which to establish communication with local and national authorities in the common definition of policies and issues related to rural development; and
2. provide a basis for sharing experiences between rural organizations, international organizations and rural development experts.

The event was an opportunity for 60 interested parties from rural areas to meet in a spirit of cooperation and action for the sustainability and well-being of rural areas in the country. On the second day, participants had the chance to visit Mavrovo and Prespa region.

The event produced a Manifesto to be handed to the Government that will contribute to a better quality of life for rural people through integrated rural development. The document covers:

1. building capacity of rural CSOs as an equal partner in the policy dialogue;
2. decreasing the governmental knowledge gap about the Agriculture and Information System (AKIS); and
3. highlighting the importance of rural youth and gender equality in rural development policy.

This was the final event of the EU-funded project National Rural Parliament as a voice of rural citizens being implemented in North Macedonia by CNVP, RDN (Rural Development Network) and ARD (Action for Rural Development).