Meeting for the INSPIRE project on 2 March 2026 in Waldsolms. A communal space is needed for an activity, but the search for the relevant contact person or the complicated process of handing over keys is preventing the plan from going ahead. What is often perceived as a frustrating bureaucratic burden in the day-to-day life of many local authorities is the overarching focus of the Interreg project INSPIRE. This demonstrates that “Smart Villages” can, quite pragmatically, strengthen social cohesion and living conditions through digital solutions – such as smart booking systems or digital access controls.
The INSPIRE project takes a holistic approach: “It is not about digitalisation for digitalisation’s sake, but about improving the quality of life locally”. Work is being carried out on three levels to embed “digital and social approaches on a small scale”:
- Municipal level: Strategic approaches at municipal level (example: Waldsolms).
- Regional level: Strengthening through stakeholders such as the LEADER region of Lahn-Dill-Wetzlar.
- State level: Optimising cooperation and political embedding.
An important milestone was the fourth stakeholder meeting on 2 March in Waldsolms. Representatives from Waldsolms, the LEADER region and the state discussed strategies for establishing small, effective steps as a pilot project in the Lahn-Dill-Wetzlar LEADER region.
Contact persons at IfLS: Hanna Kramer (kramer[at]ifls.de); Dr. Ulrich Gehrlein (gehrlein[at]ifls.de)
