On Friday, August 7th, 2020 a workshop on the development of the rural economy through the evaluation of natural resources and their diversification and synergy with other sectors was held within the PORALIST project. Taking into consideration the current circumstances present in both countries caused by the corona virus epidemic, the workshop was organized via video call, what was not an obstacle to interested representatives of the medicinal plant sector from both target territories to respond and join online education.
The main topic of the two-hour lecture given by Nikola Radonjić, National Consultant for Creative Industries of Montenegro, referred to the opportunities provided to the rural population operating in the medicinal plant sector to adequately valorize their work and achieve satisfactory economic effects, through nurturing old crafts and cultural area identity. Taking into account that the main actors in nurturing old crafts and preserving traditions and cultural values in both cross-border countries are members of the female population, the aim of the workshop was to further educate them and introduce them to modern tools for improving quality of life and socio-economic status while respecting tradition and traditional values that they nurture through their generations through their skills and abilities. In this regard, important topics discussed at the online workshop were related to creative industries, gastronomy and rural tourism, which recently in both Serbia and Montenegro, generate an increasing number of jobs and record significant growth and in recent years have the epithet of creative destinations. On the other hand, all the effort and engagement not only in these sectors but also in all business activities is unsuccessful if there is no adequate marketing and management strategy. Without good marketing and promotion, there is no justifiable opportunity for better and faster development.
The PORALIST project is implementing on the territory of the municipalities of Prijepolje and Bijelo Polje by the Regional Development Agency Zlatibor, the Institute for the Study of Medicinal Plants “Dr Josif Pančić” and the NGO Multimedia Montenegro. 
