1. INVITATION WELCOME TO The XXII European Congress for Rural Sociology in VAASA, FINLAND, in 2009 Hosts: University of Vaasa and Åbo Akademi University in Vaasa

2. HOST COUNTRY FINLAND

3. Vaasa is situated on the Finnish west coast Vaasa is the regional capital and has 57.000 inhabitants Good connections –Weekdays 14 non-stop flights from two capital cities; Helsinki and Stockholm. –15 minute drive from the airport to the city centre –Weekdays 8 trains arrives from Helsinki to city centre. –In Vaasa everything is within walking distance! THE CITY OF VAASA

4. Three university units providing higher education and two universities of applied sciences. 29% of the population in Vaasa have a university degree Vaasa is a bilingual city and centre of the province of Ostrobothnia –72% has Finnish as native language –25% has Swedish as native language THE CITY OF VAASA

7. THE UNIVERSITY OF VAASA -four faculties -offering degrees at all academic levels from Bachelor's to Doctor's -5 000 students -The Department of Regional Studies, for example, has broad competence in questions related to rural policy and regional features of entrepreneurship HOSTS

8. ÅBO AKADEMI UNIVERSITY IN VASA - offers degrees at all academic levels - 2 faculties - 1 800 students

9. PROPOSAL FOR CONFERENCE THEME AND PROGRAM Social Dimensions of Rural Transformation in Europe -focus on different social dimensions of ongoing rural transformations in Europe. -the diversity of migration patterns, discussion on different social, political and economic outcomes of the ongoing transformation -the excursion program to be an exiting learning experience of the today society of the Ostrobothnan region -Proposed dates: 17th-21th August 2009

10. CONFERENCE SITES

13. ACCOMMODATION and SOCIAL PROGRAM Accommodation in the city centre or by the sea - in private independent hotels or in international hotel chains The seven hotels in Vaasa offers a total of 800 high-class hotel rooms Hostel accommodation close to the meeting site and to the city centre A wide variety of outstanding social programs