L'ÀPAT

36 C ommunity Foundations and regeneration are closely linked in their shared purpose of fos- tering sustainable development and raising living standards in local com- munities, empowering talent to live, work and leisure better in the com- munity. We are particularly interest- ed in broadening the connection be- tween community foundations and regeneration, as regeneration creates regenerative cultures in the plural, from each local community, from where community foundations can work in depth. Community Founda- tions must continuously regenerate the basic resources we depend on and have a key role in building the fu- ture planet, because it all starts in the community itself. The Raimat Lleida Community Foundation and the 2030 Agenda The Raimat Lleida Community Foun- dation (FCRL) was created in March 2022 to promote the regions of Rai- mat and Lleida, one of the four Cat- alan provinces (Barcelona, Tarragona, Lleida and Girona) in Spain. It was created with the aim of strengthen- ing the surroundings of Raimat and the province of Lleida together with companies, organisations and indi- viduals via innovative initiatives and projects that promote the territory in a sustainable and resilient way. What we are seeing, after the first year of life of FCRL, is that regener- ation is transversal to its four axes of transformation, inspired by the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals): So- cial Action, Culture, Innovation and Biodiversity and Climate Change. 1. Social action and the training of tractor drivers As a result of the region's need for tractor drivers, in collaboration with United Way Spain and the John Deere Iberia tractor company, training for drivers has been promoted for young people at risk of exclusion and adults who will obtain specialised qualifica- tions from the Generalitat de Catalun- ya and the Escola Agrària de les Borg- es Blanques, in collaboration with the Concesionaris Vicens de Lleida. The institutions that form part to the in- itiative are the Barça Foundation and its youth programme; and the private Obra Tutelar Agraria Foundation. The 1st edition of the Tractor Driver Train- ing Programme began in 2023 andwill continue to be repeated annually. 2. Culture and the RaimatArts Fes- tival Via the Raimat Arts Festival (RAF), the international classical music fes- tival created in 2022 by the Castell de Raymat, and twinned with the Napa Valley Festival in California and La Rioja Festival in Spain, 100% of its profits are dedicated to the projects of the Raimat Lleida Community Foundation. The RAF is an impact-fo- by Elena de Carandini Regenerating our communities through Community Foundations and the SDGs Extract from the report published by Learning LAB for Changemakers by ECFI (Euro- pean Community Foundations Initiative) cussed festival with a regenerative vi- sion that honours community culture to promote economic activity in the area. The 2nd edition of the festival will be held in October 2023, and is linked o to the Foundation's projects related to their water consumption. To ensure there is a real impact on the community, an impact measure- ment is carried out to analyse both the direct effect of the festival on people and the environment, as well as a long-term measurement to track the actual transformation affect- ing in the community. Details of the RAF's involvement in the SDGs can be found here: www.raimatartsfestival.org 3. Biodiversity and Climate Change In collaboration with the Association of Properties for the Conservation of Nature, and in its interest in working on regenerative agriculture and forest management, the creation of a Re- generative Agriculture programme is being developed in collaboration with the FCRL, studying the possible plan- tation of the most suitable regenera- tive crops for this environment, water saving, renewable energies and the introduction of native fauna, creating a circular economy balanced with the environment. 4. Innovation with the Raimat LAB and the Youth LAB Via the Raimat LAB and the Youth LAB , we are empowering our com- munity leaders to be community transformers, so that businesspeople and entrepreneurs in the region can develop their triple economic, social and environmental impact on the community. The Youth LAB encourages the cre- ation of future community leaders, in the style of the European Youth Banks. The 1st Edition of the Trans- forming Talent Awards was created in 2023 in collaboration with the Aso- ciación Directores Institutos de Lleida (ADSL) with 7 winning projects that transform the community; and a weekend meeting of Youth LAB Com- munity Leaders workshops for young people between 14 and 25 years old to train them to become future commu- nity leaders and social impact inves- tors. More information at: www.raimatlab.com Raimat Arts Festival 2022. © RAF.