Thursday, November 7
Ms. Amelia Fernández López, Mayoress of Carreño
A native of El Valle, one of the council’s twelve rural parishes, Amelia Fernández López is the first woman to hold the post of mayor in Carreño since the Democratic Transition and is the president of the Rural Development Group Association for the Integrated Development of Periurban Asturias Centre (ADICAP). She has a diploma in Social Work and a Master’s Degree in Social Policies and Social Welfare from the University of Oviedo. She has training in the areas of Health and Disability, Politics, New Technologies and Equality.
Since 2003 she has been a councillor in different areas in the Town Council of Carreño and since 2015 mayoress of the same council. In addition, since 2019 she has been the president of the Cabo Peñas Community Association, which brings together the councils of Carreño and Gozón.
Mr. Belarmino Fernández Fervienza, President of the Asturian Network of Rural Development – READER
They define him as a rural Indian. Not in vain is natural of one of the most mountainous rural councils of the Principality, whose territory has been declared in its totality as Natural Park of Somiedo.
Belarmino Fernández Fervienza has been mayor of this council since 1995. Previously he directed different Schools-Workshop in the Principality of Asturias. Since 2002 he has chaired the Camín Real de la Mesa Rural Development Group and since 2012 he has been the president of the Asturian Network of Rural Development, the year in which he was appointed vice-president of the Spanish Network of Rural Development (REDR).
Fernández Fervienza is a member of the Executive of the Asturian Federation of Councils (FACC) and a founding member of the Es montañas Association.
He has given many conferences on topics such as the Environment and Rural Development, showing the example of the Natural Park of Somiedo as a sustainable space for Spain and Europe.
Ms. Vanessa Halhead, Co-Ordinator of ERP and of European Rural Community Alliance – ERCA
Vanessa Halhead has worked with rural community development for over 35 years, at all levels, regionally, nationally and internationally, including in her own rural community in the Scottish Highlands.
She was part of the team that established the European Rural Community Alliance ERCA and the first European Rural Parliament. She has co-ordinated both ERCA and the ERP since the start, so has a wide understanding of rural development across Europe. She worked with the Scottish Government and rural stakeholders to establish Scottish Rural Action and the first Scottish Rural Parliament, and is a Director of SRA.
She has worked with some of the most peripheral and fragile rural communities in Scotland, and lives in one of the most dynamic small communities in the Scottish Highlands – Cromarty. Vanessa is a life-long committed supporter of rural people and places and believes, from experience, in their extraordinary capacity to take responsibility for their own futures.
Ms. Isabel Bombal Díaz, Director-General of Rural Development, Innovation and Forestry Policy. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of the Government of the Government of Spain
Intervention: ‘The challenges of the future rural development’
Isabel Bombal Díaz is an Agricultural Engineer specialising in Agro-food Industries, University Expert in Industrial Quality and Master in Dairy Product Processing, among others.
She has been an advisor to the Directorate General for Rural Development and Forestry Policy of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment (MAPAMA) and a member of the EU Conciliation Body for Agricultural Affairs (CAP) of the European Commission (2012-2018), as well as, among other senior positions, Director General for Industry and Food Markets, the Ministry of Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs (MARM).
Ms. Antonia Husberg, Senior Official on rural Affairs. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Government of Finland
Intervention: ‘Navigating the future’
Antonia Husberg is the producer of the Finnish National Rural Parliament, head of communications, research and development funding for the National Rural Policy Council of Finland and Senior Officer on Rural Affairs at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland. During the past twelve years, Antonia has worked in both politics, advocacy, and government, with questions relating to rural development, mainly services, transport and communications, agriculture and forestry, and future questions. Her current work within the field includes strategic development of the rural policy in Finland, raising questions regarding sustainable development in rural areas, and bringing together people and organisations for the second triannual Rural Parliament of Finland.
Antonia Husberg was born in the small coastal town of Kristinestad, the only Finnish Citta Slow. Today she and her family is multilocal; living, working and farming in three different places. Her husband’s 300 year old, family farm, is a place where generations meet, work and spend time together. A small farm with a bright future.