Ana Abrunhosa, Minister of Territorial Cohesion, has no doubts that the aspiring UNESCO World Geopark Algarvensis Loulé-Silves-Albufeira is a “winner” project. This Friday, April 23, the official participated in the inauguration of the first physical milestone of this initiative – a sculpture on a roundabout in Salir – and left the Algarve with the idea that this is the “right project” for the interior of the region. .
It was practically an entire day dedicated to this project, with Ana Abrunhosa also visiting São Bartolomeu de Messines (Silves) for the delivery of prizes to participants in the School Competition “Climate change: challenges and solutions”, in the territory of the aspiring Geopark Algarvensis, and also by Querença, where he attended, at the Manuel Viegas Guerreiro Foundation, a presentation about the Geopark.
But the high point happened in Salir, where was born the first symbol of this great project that is the aspiring Geopark – and that enchanted Ana Abrunhosa.
At the roundabout between Estrada Municipal 525 and Estrada Nacional 124, near one of the entrances to the village, Pedro Cabral Santo and Nuno Esteves da Silva designed a giant 10-metre sculpture representing the Metoposaurus Algarvensis (an amphibian similar to a giant salamander), whose fossils were discovered in the Penina area.
Pedro Cabral Santo explained that the great inspiration for the sculpture was, in fact, this «prehistoric salamander».
“As in all creative processes, there was a research until we arrived at a form that satisfied us, because all art must have this principle of questioning”, he added.
The sculpture, made of concrete, is imposing both for its 10 meters high and for the color used: red, «associated with the sandstone of Silves».
In the presentation session of the aspiring Geoparque Algarvensis, minister Ana Abrunhosa spoke of “a provocative work” which is like the first physical milestone of a project that involves three municipalities: Loulé, Silves and Albufeira.
But the This work has already started, at least since 2019. For now, in addition to a website, there is already a promotional video and several identified geosites, such as the deposit of Metoposaurus, Rocha da Pena, Planalto do Escarpão or the Megalipiás da Varjota.
In addition, the Cadoiço and Megalapiás routes have already been defined, a scientific council was created and a protocol signed with the QRER cooperative.
According to Cristina Veiga Pires, coordinator of the project, the UNESCO candidacy will be carried out in 2023, but for this year, there is the intention to create the association of the aspiring Geopark.
Above all, this is an initiative “wants to involve people”, as Rosa Palma, mayor of Silves explained.
“Everything is here in this territory. Everything. And there are the people who are the most important», he said, using a metaphor that fits the project like a glove: «putting the rocks to talk».
Vítor Aleixo, mayor of Loulé, also did not hide his enthusiasm for "this diamond we have in our hands".
“This is the biggest opportunity in recent decades to develop the interior of the Algarve, making people visit it too”, he considered.
The project of the aspiring Geopark has the power of wanting to enhance, through the geological, natural, but also immaterial, the interior of three municipalities (Loulé, Silves and Albufeira), marked by demographic decline.
No wonder, therefore, that José Carlos Rolo, mayor of Albufeira, said that this is "a very serious project". "It's no joke and it's been hard work, but very interesting," he said.
From what she saw, Ana Abrunhosa, Minister of Territorial Cohesion, was certain: this is “a winning project”.
In statements to the Sul Informação, the government official welcomed the fact that «three municipalities, of different political colors (PS, PSD and CDU), put the interest of the population ahead of any partisan struggle and, based on this extraordinary value given by nature, build a development strategy sustainable'.
«I realized that very serious work is being done, also with the University of the Algarve, because the construction of a Geopark application requires a different look at what the territory already has, producing information and knowledge that it has to be past,” he added.
For the official, the Geopark project is the «right strategy for what are today the challenges of development, in an inland Algarve that needs a different strategy».
And Ana Abrunhosa even anticipates a glorious end: «I have no doubts that, in a few years' time, we will celebrate the Algarvensis Geopark with great joy».
Photos: Pedro Lemos | Sul Informação
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