The European perspective for the Western Balkans and Turkey gives new opportunities for rural communities to progress. This is dependent on the actions of leading NGOs and their ability to implement development activities on a sustainable basis. The majority of NGOs from the Western Balkans and Turkey have concluded that they need to network with similar organisations in their own countries and the region.

Based on the experience across Europe, the national rural development networks from the Western Balkan and Turkey* decided to organise the 1^st Balkan Region Rural Parliament. Held in Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia during 26-28 June 2018, its main objectives were to:

1. support regional and inter-sectoral cooperation of key actors for rural development;
2. express the voice of rural people in the Western Balkans and Turkey;
3. promote self-help and action by rural people, in partnership with civil society and governments;
4. identify actions for improved sustainable development of rural communities; and
5. recommend to EU institutions and national governments issues related to EU integration based on regional needs and the specific requirements of rural areas.

Attended by CNVP, the event brought together some 60 representatives of civil society, governments, and grass-root organisations from the Western Balkan countries and Turkey, representatives of the European Commission, national rural networks from all over Europe, international networks and organisations, as well as other rural actors.

Topics discussed during the Parliament covered the role of:

1. rural parliaments as platforms to agree the future of rural communities;
2. youth and women in rural development;
3. short agriculture supply chains;
4. social entrepreneurship as a chance for diversification of economic activities in rural communities;
5. LEADER/LAGs and local community led development (CLLD) to achieve faster development of rural communities; and
6. Balkan culture and heritage as a mechanism for promoting rural development.

* Including Network for Rural Development of Serbia, Albanian Rural Development Network, Network for Rural Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Network of Organisations for Rural Development of Kosovo, Network for Rural Development of Macedonia, Network for Rural Development of Montenegro, Croatian Rural Development Network and Development Foundation of Turkey, as well as PREPARE, International Association of European Heritage and Latvian Rural Forum.