More than 500 people came together to think together on how to enhance political, technical and academic participation in the municipalities that belong to the Portuguese network (RTPCE) of the International Association of Educating Cities (AICE).
For four days, from 15 to 18 May, at the Centro de Congressos do Arade, in Parchal (Lagoa), the 8th Congress of Portuguese Educating Cities will take place.
The program includes the debate of the different experiences that the participating Municipalities bring to the discussion, conferences presented by recognized academics, two round tables of mayors that expose the educating perspectives prioritized in their municipalities, the participation of several dozen young people, coming from different points of the country to build and present feasible citizenship proposals in their territories, as well as a wide range of educational practices and manifestations of the Algarve's local culture.
“The technical staff of the Municipalities cannot only be technical staff, but they must also be thinking. On the part of the politicians, there must be an openness to accept their proposals. Citizens, we ask for more participation. All together, we will be increasingly bold in building a work that not only can be seen, but also felt”. This statement was part of the speech with which Francisco Martins, president of the Chamber of Lagoa, welcomed all the congressmen.
Marina Canales, general secretary of the International Association of Educating Cities, addressed the congress, highlighting the central theme of this meeting, “Creating (in) the City”, which highlights the role of the arts in contemporary cities.
The rector of the University of Algarve, Paulo Águas, underlined the availability and involvement of the main academy in this region in the demanding and multifaceted construction process of our territories.
The next two days of Congress promise many more testimonies of recognized value in various areas of social investigation, municipal politics, practical citizenship.
On the fourth day, on Saturday afternoon, the program is cultural and includes “A river… against the sea”, in other words, a performance tour that will pass through Ferragudo, Mexilhoeira da Carregação to the Municipal Park of Sítio das Fontes, to show another side of Lagoa and the Algarve to the rest of the country.
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