The Municipality of Lagos has already displayed the Blue Flags in all its bathing areas and the Accessible Beach Flag in four of them. The ceremony took place on 20 June and, in solidarity with the tragedy that the country is experiencing with the fires in Pedrógão Grande and neighboring municipalities and with the populations victims of this enormous scourge, the flags were hoisted at half-mast.
This year, the Blue Flag Program launches a new challenge – “to take care of the Planet, we must start by taking care of our Earth. It's time to act. Starting to take care of the world from our backyard is the natural step after we have learned to take care of the house».
In Lagos, the City Council considers that «the results of the Blue Flag philosophy over the years are very visible». However, stresses the municipality, "this year we want to do even more" and "involve the community to "take care" of their land."
At the ceremony, which was attended by the municipal executive, autarchy technicians and several guests, the Blue Flags were hoisted at Praia da Luz, Porto de Mós, Praia da Batata, Meia Praia, Camilo and D. Ana.
The first four also bear the Accessible Beach – Praia para Todos flag, which guarantees easier access for citizens with reduced mobility, through reserved parking next to the beach and ramps suitable for wheelchairs.
“Although there are initiatives that we really have to take forward”, referring to the date scheduled for the flying of the flags, “today we do so in a very special context, considering all the tragedy that befell the municipalities of our country that continue to be battered by the fires that have raged since Saturday. It is out of respect for this situation that today we hoist all our flags at half-mast», highlighted Chamber President Joaquina Matos.
Recalling that the Blue Flag initiative has been taking place in Lagos since 2007, the mayor took the opportunity to thank all the sponsors of this year's campaign, namely Unilever, Ecoambiente, Intermarché and Hotel Tivoli Lagos, as well as all the entities and institutions that have been associated with this great project over the years.
Finally, Maria Joaquina Matos recalled that “projects only achieve good results when we all contribute to the same”, making sure that “the municipality will do everything to make this summer a success, and to assert and reaffirm Lagos as a destination tourism of excellence”.
The Blue Flag represents the guarantee of the quality of bathing water, of the beach support infrastructure, as well as the interest of the information and environmental awareness actions carried out by the municipality.
In this regard, the Chamber emphasizes that the municipality's project “Campanha Bandeira Azul – Lagos na Onda do Verão” was recently awarded an Honorable Mention by the Institute of Behavioral Technology (INTEC), within the scope of the M2V – Best Municipalities for Living, competition in the category of environmental valuation, thus recognizing the quality of the work that has been developed by the municipality in the area of environmental awareness and education and the valorization of this important heritage.
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