Merill’s SmartBook™ nominated for the World Summit Awards 2025

We are proud to announce that Merill Rural Network, one of SEED’s flagship support organisations, has been officially nominated for the 23rd edition of the World Summit Awards (WSA) - a global platform that recognises digital solutions creating meaningful societal change. The nomination was put forward by Kenneth Bone, Malta’s WSA National Expert, who selected Maltese projects to represent the country in this international competition. Merill will be competing in the Culture & Heritage category with its upcoming digital innovation: the Merill Rural SmartBook™.

This is a purpose-built platform that gives Merill’s rural members - farmers, artisans, and small-scale producers - the autonomy to manage their own tourism experiences with ease. It replaces a fragmented system of calls, emails and messages with a simple, centralised tool where members can update their availability, accept booking requests, and access all relevant experience information. This digital empowerment strengthens Merill’s community-based tourism model and ensures that rural traditions continue to thrive in a rapidly digitising world. At the same time, this innovation, designed to be user-friendly and accessible, doesn’t leave behind the local protagonists, guardians of the skills and knowledge promoted through these experiences. More information about the Smartbook implementation here: Merill Takes the Digital Leap: Building the SmartBook™ Through the Cross-Re-Tour Project

Receiving the WSA Nominee marks the value of digital innovation designed with and for communities. As SmartBook continues its development, Merill now proceeds to the Online Jury evaluation, with results expected in February. Fingers crossed!