Executive Director of the Finnish Home Regions Association Teppo Ylitalo captured the atmosphere by stating: “There is no future – we will make it!” Ylitalo gave a lot to think about the future of villages in a positive light. An important takeaway for this time was also to see villages as communities of trust and security. In villages, people meet each other and because they are at home in the villages, the encounters are genuine. Village communities also have the ability to take care of individuals and, if necessary, support the weaker ones.
The closing ceremony of the Village of the Future 2.0 project heard the development stories of the villages that participated in the project. The unifying factor in the stories was the power of community and the desire to do good for others.
Honkakylä opened its development story in the Liiveri area. Honkakylä has worked, among other things, to brighten the village's brand. One of the villages' attractive features is the phrase they have raised: "Here, everyday life remains human-sized." You can read the story of Honkakylä more at this link.
The evening's final highlight was served by Simo Rally. The audience heard familiar texts from Elonkerjuu, which arise from the heart of Ostrobothnian culture. The rally also gave practical instructions for purchasing your own home. It is worth assessing the market with the help of the urine, stone and outdoor sauna test.
In addition to Honkakylä, the pilot villages in the Liiveri area were Hirvijärvi, Koskenkorva, Kainasto, Koura and the centre of Ilmajoki. The project has enabled the development and investments of the villages. The Liiveri government has approved eight of the project applications by the end of May, with a total value of 447,060 euros. Some of the project applications are still awaiting processing and approval by the Life Force Centre.