Sutherland community features in international conference

31st May 2019

Kyle of Sutherland was in the spotlight at an international community development conference this week - May 2019.

A short film about the impact of Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust's work on local community life was showcased to the 270 delegates at the Strengthening Communities Conference Scotland ‘19 in Aviemore.

The event, organised by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), attracted community groups and organisations from Nova Scotia, Maine, Norway and across the UK to look at the key issues for communities leading the way on their own social and economic futures.

Douglas Cowan, Director of Strengthening Communities at HIE, said: "This was a fantastic opportunity to look in depth at the social and economic opportunities and challenges of living in a rural community. There were remarkable similarities even across international communities - with people looking at how to retain and attract young people, and how to provide infrastructure, services and opportunities for all.

"The film from Sutherland is a great example of local people taking the lead in this and the vital role they can have in attracting new investment and income streams to benefit communities."

The theme of the conference, held on Monday and Tuesday, was ‘Ionnsachadh is fàs le chèile', 'Learning and Growing Together'. It was supported by the Scottish Government, South of Scotland Enterprise Partnership, Scottish Enterprise, SSE and Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA).