The second EU Rural Innovation Forum (EU-RIF 2) “From Smart Villages to Smart Rural Futures: experiences from the Baltic region“, in the framework of the Horizon Europe FUTURAL project (Empowering the future through innovative smart solutions for rural areas) is scheduled to take place on 5th and 6th of May 2026, in Jonava Cultural Centre in Lithuania.
This event is a networking opportunity to meet stakeholders from the rural ecosystem, rural innovation network representatives, policymakers and implementers, EU-funded R&I projects, organisations, and entrepreneurs with the aim to set the groundwork for capacity building and expertise sharing on smart community-led innovation in rural areas.
Our speakers will share their expertise and unique perspectives on a range of important topics. Meet our distinguished speakers, who will share their expertise, experiences, and insights on smart rural innovations:
SESSION SPEAKERS: Understanding Smart Villages: From concept to practice (5 May 2026, 11h30 CET)
Auksė Lebeckienė – Kaišiadorys LAG project administrator
Auksė Lebeckienė has experience in project administration, the coordination of community initiatives, and local development projects. She possesses strong organisational skills, including planning, documentation management, stakeholder communication, and effective task prioritisation. She believes that continuous movement creates real value; therefore, for her, work is not only about implementing projects, but also about growing alongside them through learning, adapting, and seeking better solutions. She is organised, responsible, and results-oriented, and is especially motivated by the opportunity to drive change and inspire others to grow.
Virginija Šetkienė – Lithuanian Rural Communities’ Union
Virginija Šetkienė is a community development practitioner and leader with long-standing experience in strengthening rural communities in Lithuania. As chair of the Lithuanian Rural Communities Union, she works at the intersection of civic engagement, social innovation, and regional development. Her focus lies in empowering local initiatives, building resilient networks, and ensuring that community voices are reflected in policy and practice at both national and European levels.
Renata Rudnicka, Agrifood Lithuania
Renata Rudnicka is a Project Manager at AgriFood Lithuania DIH, with a background in International Business from CIUE and experience in EU projects within the agri-food sector, particularly in digitalisation. She has strong expertise in Polish–Lithuanian business cooperation, market analysis, stakeholder engagement, and the organisation of international conferences, forums, and business delegations. Previously, she served as Executive Director of the Association “Polish and Lithuanian Chamber of Commerce,” where she supported bilateral trade, facilitated business partnerships, and organised high-level networking initiatives across sectors such as energy and infrastructure. Her professional experience also includes international projects in the energy sector related to smart metering and ICT solutions, as well as the development and expansion of a retail chain in Lithuania. Renata has contributed to international dialogue through initiatives such as the Baltic Connections Summit, bringing together regional leaders to address security, cybersecurity, energy transition, and innovation. She is passionate about connecting people, fostering cross-border collaboration, and supporting sustainable growth and innovation.
Kim Smedslund, PREPARE
Kim Smedslund has extensive experience in rural development, community development, project management, Smart Villages, and rural policy and advocacy, including work with PREPARE Partnership for Rural Europe and LEADER group management. Holding a Master’s degree in company law, and with a background as a teacher of French and Swedish as well as the author of a politico-legal book on EU institutions, he began working in local and regional rural development in 1999. Since then, he has been actively involved in village movements, LEADER initiatives, European rural networks such as PREPARE, ERCA, ELARD, and the European Rural Parliament, as well as European-level Smart and innovative village projects and wider rural advocacy activities.
Guoda Burokienė, Vice-Minister of the Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania
Mrs Guoda Burokienė is currently the President of the PREPARE partnership for rural Europe and has been serving as an adviser in the Lithuanian National Parliament since January 2025. Serving as vice minister of the Ministry of Economic and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania starting from 2025 October. From 2016 to 2024, she was a member of the Lithuanian National Parliament, where she actively contributed as a member of the State and Regions Committee, chaired the Commission on Migration. She also was the head of the Lithuanian parliament delegation for the Inter parliamentary Union. Between 2014 and 2016, she worked in Brussels as a geographical expert for the European Network for Rural Development (ENRD), focusing on monitoring the implementation of the Rural Development Programme 2014- 2020 and sharing good practices, particularly in social enterprise and social inclusion.
Vilma Atkočiūnienė, Vytautas Magnus University
Vilma Atkočiūnienė is a researcher and professor in rural development management, leading international and national projects on smart, resilient, and sustainable rural regions. My work focuses on rural social infrastructure, regional development, local food systems, short supply chains, and social innovation, including the LEADER method and smart village concept. I have coordinated Horizon and FP7 projects (RETHINK, SALSA, Rural Jobs, RegioFoodS) and lead initiatives on bio-value chains and local market development in Lithuania.
SESSION SPEAKERS: How can policies integrate Smart Villages in the future? (6 May 2026 12h15 CET)
Mindaugas Maciulevičius, Lithuanian Rural Innovation Network
Mindaugas Maciulevičius is a former member of the European Economic and Social Committee, where he contributed for a decade to EU-level work on sustainable food systems and the bioeconomy. For more than 20 years he actively promotes short food supply chains and cooperative models, working closely with farmers and rural communities. He is also actively engaged in national working groups with ministries, public institutions, and academia, contributing to the development of bioeconomy, sustainable food systems, agricultural innovation, and rural development.
Juha-Matti Markkola, Network Expert Rural Network Support Unit of Finland, Finnish Food Authority
Juha-Matti Markkola has worked for a long time in the Finnish Rural Network Unit on issues related to the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, with a particular focus on the Leader approach and international cooperation. The countryside is central to both his professional work and everyday life. His live on his family farm in the middle of the Finnish countryside, where with his family run forestry and rural tourism activities.
Aiva Apša-Ķīšeniece, Latvian Rural Forum, Sustainability and Resilience Specialist
Aiva Apša-Ķīšeniece represents the Latvian Rural Forum, a national-level organization dedicated to strengthening rural communities and promoting sustainable regional development. The Forum works closely with local actors to enhance resilience, civic engagement, and place-based solutions across Latvia. Aiva is a Sustainability and Resilience Specialist at the Latvian Rural Forum, currently focusing on areas such as civil protection, food security, and mobility. In her work, she supports communities in strengthening resilience while emphasizing the importance of taking initiative, adapting to change, and responding to challenges to improve everyday life.