Showcase events

GRASS CEILING Final Showcase Event - general image

Three years of GRASS CEILING: Reflections from the Final Showcase Event in Brussels

Last week, we celebrated the GRASS CEILING Final Showcase Event at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels, marking the culmination of three years of collaboration to advance women-led innovation in agriculture and rural areas across Europe.

The event opened with welcoming remarks by Oana Neagu (Copa-Cogeca) and Stoyan Tchoukanov (EESC), followed by an introduction from our project coordinator, Professor Sally Shortall (South East Technological University, SETU).

Final Showcase Event: Oana and Stoyan presenting the session
Opening of the GRASS CEILING Final Showcase Event.

We then explored the work of the European Policy Forum for Women-Led Innovation, including a Welcome Dialogue with MEPs Georgiana Teodorescu (ECR) and Maria Walsh (EPP).

Blanca Casares Guillén (European Association for Innovation in Local Development, AEIDL) presented the project’s policy recommendations, setting the scene for the first round table discussion led by Serafín Pazos (AEIDL), Inclusive pathways for farming and rural futures: EU policy solutions for the transition, featuring: Elena Schubert (European Commission, DG AGRI – Social Sustainability Unit), Maria Nikolopoulou (European Economic and Social Committee, EESC), Faustine Bas-Defossez (European Environmental Bureau, EEB), Maria Walsh (Member of the European Parliament, MEP), Sally Shortall (SETU – GRASS CEILING Coordinator), and Blanca Casares (AEIDL).

Blanca also presented the project’s policy tools, followed by the second round table, coordinated by Sally Shortall (SETU), Inclusive policy tools: integrating gender responsiveness into EU innovation and monitoring frameworks, with Giulia Bizzo, European Commission, DG RTD – Bioeconomy & Food Systems, Maura Farrell, University of Galway – FLIARA Project Coordinator Sari Rautio, Committee of the Regions (CoR) and Blanca Casares, European Association for Innovation in Local Development (AEIDL).

First round table
Final showcase event second round table

Policy forum round tables.

In the afternoon, we hosted the Living Lab Dialogue, highlighting the outcomes, impacts, and remarkable journeys of our nine women rural innovators through short presentations: Vesna Jakić (Croatia), Emer Lawrence (Ireland), Letizia Cuonzo (Italy), Daiva Šinkevičienė (Lithuania), Albertine Ekkels (The Netherlands), Torunn Hernes Bjerkem (Norway), Haley Shepherd (Scotland), Marta Llorente (Spain), Ulrica Björnhag (Sweden), with closing reflections by Felicity Kelliher (SETU).

innovators from the living labs
Women innovators from the Living Labs showcasing their work.

As a surprise, during this session, we also premiered the GRASS CEILING project results video, showcasing the main results and achievements from across our nine Living Labs—soon to be shared publicly on our social media channels!

We also celebrated the ceremonies for the GRASS CEILING Rural Women’s Social Innovation (RUWI) Award and the Parental Leave Champions Award (PARCA), recognising outstanding leadership, resilience, and transformative rural innovation of Grenoucerie S.L. and Asti Agricoltura. These Awards were coordinated by AEIDL and Copa-Cogeca, respectively.

RUWI Award ceremony.
PARCA Award ceremony.

A heartfelt thank you to all speakers, partners, stakeholders, and especially the women innovators who shaped this project. Their work continues to pave the way toward more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable rural futures in Europe.

Final showcase event_ picture with all participants
All the participants of the GRASS CEILING Final Showcase Event.

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Nine European women entrepreneurs presented their projects at the 2nd GRASS CEILING Showcase Event held in Vilnius, Lithuania.

On November 26th, the second edition of the Grass Ceiling Showcase Event took place in Vilnius. It brought together women participants from the nine partner countries in the programme. This event was part of the AgriFood Lithuania 2024 Forum, Lithuania’s leading primary sector event, which attracted hundreds
of attendees. Positioning the Showcase Event within this programme was a significant achievement, as it showcased the project’s existence to the entire
Lithuanian primary sector and helped disseminate the success stories of the participating women widely.

The participants included Ines Dundović (Croatia), Karen Keane (Ireland), Annalisa Pellegrini (Italy), Justė Jankauskienė (Lithuania), Anita Rennemo Galåen (Norway), Aoife Gould (Scotland), Amada de Salas (Spain), Emma Hartelius (Sweden), and Irene Beukeveld-Evers (Netherlands). They explained their projects and challenges to the audience during a pitch session.

“Participating in events like this is very positive for me, as it allows me to meet entrepreneurial women from different fields, learn how they work, and share experiences,” said Anita Galåen, Farm CEO of Galåvolden Gård. (See bellow: Grass Ceiling Youtube channel)

“Grass Ceiling has been revolutionary for me. It has given me the confidence to trust in my project and turn it from a hobby into my livelihood,” shared Aoife Gould, a farmer from the Scottish Highlands with her sustainable project, Dun Flashadder Cottage Croft. (See bellow: Grass Ceiling Youtube channel)

The Showcase Event had a packed agenda. In addition to the various project pitches, the event hosted several talks where attendants from all countries discussed the main milestones and objectives of the project represented by the different Work Packages. Coordinators and academics leading each WP presented the latest findings in rural innovation, barriers to female entrepreneurship, and the content of the EU Policy Forum, which began on October 7th and has included the organisation of various workshops throughout the project’s duration.

“The main conclusion we have drawn is the importance of empowering these women through various means, such as education, access to funding, and training,” said Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė, Director of AgriFood Lithuania and host of the event.

“Women are taking significant steps in the primary sector and making a great contribution to rural communities,” concluded Branwen, co-organiser of the event and Senior Policy Advisor at Copa-Cogeca.

Karen Keane (Ireland)
Aoife Gould (Scotland)
Ines Dundović (Croatia) and Emma Hartelius (Sweden)
Anita Rennemo Galåen (Norway)
Amada de Salas (Spain)
Justė Jankauskienė (Lithuania)
Annalisa Pellegrini (Italy)
Irene Beukeveld-Evers (The Netherlands)

Nine European women entrepreneurs presented their projects at the 2nd GRASS CEILING Showcase Event held in Vilnius, Lithuania. Read More »