In 2025, the Working Group on Small Cities and Rural Areas of the European Coalition of Cities Against Racism (ECCAR) strengthened peer-to-peer exchange on anti-racism work beyond large urban centres. While racism and discrimination affect people in all geographic contexts, smaller municipalities and rural areas often face specific structural challenges, including limited institutional resources, fewer specialised support services, and a lack of systematic data on local experiences of racism.
A central aim of the Working Group is to highlight the particular dynamics of racism in rural and small-city contexts. In 2025, participants discussed the structural invisibility of racist incidents due to limited reporting mechanisms, barriers to accessing support services, and the need for stronger cooperation between municipal actors and civil society organisations. The Working Group thus emphasised the importance of building sustainable local networks, strengthening trust between institutions and communities, and developing context-sensitive approaches to anti-racism policies.
This report summarises the main activities, discussions, and insights generated by the Working Group during 2025.
Capacity-building activities will continue in 2026 with two online Working Group meetings.
