Rural Vision Ep. 02│Astonishing Rural Self-Governance! Germany's Weyarn Gives Land-Use Planning Authority to the Municipal Office, Welcomes Young People to Move In

Under the banner of promoting economic development, rural areas in every country face severe challenges, struggling to find a way out of their difficulties. Public Television Service presents the documentary series Rural Vision, which introduces international rural case studies from the perspective of foresight and sustainable management, hoping to spark Taiwanese society's imagination about rural areas. Upstream and Downstream, in cooperation with PTS, is publishing the highlights of each episode.

This article focuses on Weyarn in Germany, a town of 3,000 people just 20 km from Munich. It insists on preserving its rural character, yet through diversified economic development and a unique land-lease system, it has attracted young people to settle here, injecting vitality into the countryside.

Liu Song: Only when Taiwan becomes aware of the problem can it discuss forging its own path

Liu Song, director of Rural Vision, says Germany likewise went through frenzied economic development and confusion of values, and after several generations of reflection, developed the model we see today. Weyarn in particular, a town of 3,000 people, manages its rural affairs in a pragmatic yet creative way, resisting the temptations of economic development.

Liu Song reiterates that this series is not a panacea, but these stories can open up Taiwan's imagination about rural areas. Some people will find them wonderful and eye-opening; others will be thoroughly disappointed, believing it is simply impossible for rural Taiwan to become such a model. Either way, only when Taiwan becomes aware of its rural problems will it be able to discuss how rural Taiwan can forge a path of its own.

The documentary series Rural Vision will begin airing on December 4 this year, every Tuesday at 10 p.m. on PTS's main channel.