An estimated 1,200 community and rural development leaders from around the country and the world, will gather at the Duluth Entertainment & Convention Center. This is a unique and historic partnership.  It’s a moment in time to network and learn from a broad spectrum of community development practitioners, researchers, and teachers. And it’s a strategic opportunity to shape and influence community and rural development policy – the emerging social and economic contract for 21^st century rural development on local, regional, and national levels.

    
    Out of the 1200 expected attendees, over 400 people will be representing the annual Community Development Society (CDS) International Conference. CDS will provide much of the program content for the Summit, affording Minnesotans wide exposure to local, national, and international community development techniques and emerging practices. Over 200 state rural development leaders will attend as the annual National Rural Development Leadership Conference, setting the stage for an opportunity to influence rural development policies at the national level. And 600 people from across Minnesota will attend as the Minnesota Rural Summit, to report back on commitments made at the 2000 Rural Summit in the five core areas of rural policy: bridging the digital divide, energizing entrepreneurs, leveraging the new agriculture, sustaining the rural landscape, and boosting social capital.

    Resonating to the conference theme - "The Times They Are A-Changing" -- these economic and community developers from throughout the world will spend four days enjoying the hospitality and marveling at the wonders of Duluth and the North Country.

    Quite simply, this venue will showcase the best of the Upper Midwest and Northern Minnesota: a resilient region full of vibrant communities on the cutting edge of telecommunications, regional problem solving, leadership development, and a rich diversity of economic diversification.  This meeting will allow an international professional audience to experience some of the hottest community and economic development efforts in the region... from grassroots cooperative entrepreneurs to international collaborations for community technology and lifelong learning and the North Country’s reincarnation as a high tech center with a diversified economy, major seaport and ultimate travel destinations rolled into one. Come and tap the minds and experience of some of the best community, economic, and rural development researchers, teachers, and practitioners in the world.