The municipality of São Brás de Alportel was yesterday the “Center of Europe”, in the words of António Eusébio, having hosted the Europe Day Celebrations in the Algarve, with a program full of activities for all ages and nationalities.
The program was marked by the spirit that set the tone for the European Year of Active Aging and Solidarity between Generations, which resulted from a challenge launched by CCDR Algarve, in partnership with the Municipality of São Brás de Alportel.
The main stage of the celebrations program was the covered Municipal Swimming Pools building, one of the many works financed by the European Union, in São Brás de Alportel.
At 10:00 am, the raising of the flag ceremony, to the sound of the national anthem, interpreted and sung by young students from the municipality, began the celebrations.
Then there was a welcome session for participants, in several languages, by young people from various countries, as well as interventions by the mayors, António Eusébio, and the Coordination and Development Commission of the Algarve Region (CCDR- Algarve), David Santos.
This was followed by the long-awaited opening of the exhibition “Olhares sobre Europa em São Brás”, authored by the trainees of the Digital Photography Workshop, coordinated by photographer Rui Serra Ribeiro, which presents 22 different views on spaces and places that deserved funded interventions by the European Union. The exhibition will be open until the end of June, in the central corridor of the Covered Municipal Swimming Pools.
Always with an intergenerational dimension, the program continued with several playful-pedagogical activities, with the participation of the youngest, students from the São Brás de Alportel School Group and the Bernardete Romeira School, in Olhão, and the less young, students of the Senior University of São Brás de Alportel.
Also in the morning, the program included a visit to the premises of the company Nova Cortiça, the greatest symbol of the development of the cork industry in the municipality and in the region, a reference brand in the country and abroad, which was recently the target of a community investment, which allowed give the company a new stage in its development, opening up to new products and markets.
After a stop at Circular Norte, a reference work in the county, which is also an example of the implementation of projects financed by community funds, there was also a visit to the Secondary School, which was recently the subject of a deep requalification and expansion work, with European funding. .
It was also this space that hosted a convivial lunch that took place at Academia dos Sabores, the beautiful space for training and gastronomic experimentation at Escola Secundária José Belchior Viegas, where young students who attend courses in the hotel sector have the opportunity to put in practice your knowledge
The afternoon was reserved for reflection, with the holding of an Intergenerational Parliament, in the Hall of the City Council under the motto “Growing and Aging in the European Space”, which featured the intervention of two very participative benches: on one side the seniors , students from the Senior University of São Brás de Alportel and from the other the juniors, students from the José Belchior Viegas Secondary School, in the presence of a special guest, the deputy of the Assembly of the Republic Pedro Marques, who actively participated in the initiative leaving a word of recognition and encouraging the continuation of good practices that promote the inclusion of younger people in community life, especially in decision-making processes in collective life, where participation is always an asset.
In this intergenerational debate, several themes were addressed, from income inequality, insecurity, loneliness, among many others that deserved the presentation of several proposals to face the challenges of Europe, on this special day, whose motto is “Together we are stronger”.
It was a debate open to the entire community, with a view to reflecting and sharing the perspectives of young people and younger people who project into the present the future of the country and of Europe, which we all are.
The program of celebrations for this Europe Day in the Algarve ended with the sound of Fado, Intangible Heritage of Humanity and the greatest symbol of Portuguese culture, in the voice of young São Brasense Vanessa Vivas.
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