AMAL – Algarve Intermunicipal Community and the Councils of Lagos and Olhão are among the 12 Portuguese entities selected to participate in the “Inova Together” project, in cooperation with municipalities in Brazil and other Latin American countries.
The project “Inova Together – Triangular Urban Cooperation for Innovation and Sustainability” “aims to respond to the need to strengthen the capacity of local authorities to implement innovative and sustainable public policies through partnerships between Brazilian, Portuguese and Latin American cities”, according to AMAL, which was the only inter-municipal community in the country to be selected.
At the same time, «it is intended to promote public-private innovation, based on four thematic clusters: Economic development; Regional development and consortia; Green cities and climate change; and Inclusive spaces for cultural and social innovation».
Another objective of this project financed by the European Union is “to map the best practices in the management of territories, in contexts of progressive complexity, and to create a space for cooperation that allows for their sharing and socialization between political decision makers and technical staff of the institutions”.
In the case of AMAL, the winning proposal «consists of sharing the participatory methodology for the preparation of the PIAAC – Intermunicipal Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change in the Algarve, as an instrument for managing the territory».
This led to it being included in Cluster 2 of the project, with the theme "Territorial Development and Consortia", similarly to the Chamber of Olhão, a municipality that also appears in line with cluster 4 "Inclusive Spaces and Cultural and Social Innovation", with its proposal, linked to the Social Network of Olhão.
The Câmara de Lagos, whose contribution to this cooperation is the Local Housing Strategy, is also in cluster 4, but also in cluster 3 “Green Cities and Climate Change”.
In addition to the 3 Algarve entities, the municipalities of Guimarães, Maia, Valongo, Coimbra, Lisbon, Oeiras and Cascais, the Baldio da Ameixieira, Cales and Currais and the Baldios da Estrela Sul grouping were selected in Portugal.
However, the selection of Brazilian municipalities has already started, with the National Confederation of Municipalities of Brazil having the mission to select 20, from a universe of several dozen candidacies. These will be joined by another eight local governments from other Latin American countries.
Once this work is completed, the cooperation process will begin, with a view to creating a showcase of the best practices in integrated urban development, the exchange of experiences and the development of joint projects.
The partner entities of the “Inova Together” project, financed by the European Union, are the National Confederation of Municipalities of Brazil, the Center for Social Studies and Associação Oficina.
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