Algarve is a «good example» to «replicate for the country», says Secretary of State for Culture

Isabel Cordeiro visited Lagos as part of the workday «Algarve: Investments with European Funds in Culture and Cultural Heritage»

Isabel Cordeiro with José Apolinário and Adriana Nogueira. Photo: Mariana Carriço | Sul Informação

«CCDR Algarve and associated institutions' commitment to the requalification and enhancement of heritage had a good effect on the Algarve's affirmation as a cultural destination of reference. At the same time, it also built quality and excellence standards that are references for the country. The good examples we have here are to be replicated for the country», said the Secretary of State for Culture. 

Isabel Cordeiro was in Lagos Museum last Thursday, 28th of July, as part of the working day «Algarve: Investments with European Funds in Culture and Cultural Heritage», promoted by the Algarve Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR), in partnership with the Regional Directorate of Culture and the Municipality of Lagos.

According to the Secretary of State, «there are many European funding funds for culture» and, in the Algarve, «they have managed to maximize the available programs».

«The Algarve has become a national reference, a kind of manual of good practices, with regard to the use of European funds in the area of ​​culture, requalifying heritage - material and immaterial -, which necessarily has an impact on the regional economy and national life and in the lives of the resident populations», said the Secretary of State.

Isabel Cordeiro's statement is in line with what has been said by José Apolinário. For the president of CCDR Algarve, «betting on the requalification and modernization of Cultural Heritage, building authentic and attractive narratives, together with a consistent programming and with the geographical variable of the creative industries, allows, not only to substantially improve the lives of the population resident, but also to requalify Tourism, guaranteeing visitors throughout the year. Conquering new tourists who, in addition to the Sun and Sea, find other reasons of interest here».

During the initiative carried out at the Lagos Museum, which the Sul Informação accompanied, José Apolinário also highlighted the reason for the attribution of the name “Algarve Faz Bem”.

«In the Algarve, we want to make good use of European funds and we believe that investing in heritage in places of cultural interest is an example of a good allocation of European funds. There is a long-standing idea that little is done in the Algarve and, therefore, we wanted to show that the Algarve does – and does well”.

Despite mentioning the importance of tourism for the Algarve, he emphasizes that culture is also increasingly a point of attraction for tourism.

Isabel Cordeiro adds that tourism and culture go hand in hand. «The tourism sector is dear to this territory, it is in its DNA and is also a heritage of this territory and, I think, we should not have any kind of difficulty in saying that the work is complementary and that we have to go hand in hand», said.

For the Secretary of State for Culture, «the Algarve is an excellent example of the authenticity of its cultural heritage», she said, highlighting the Museums of Lagos and Portimão as two of them.

 

Photo: Mariana Carriço | Sul Informação

 

O Lagos Museum, whose requalification was supported by Algarve 2020, was the venue chosen to host this session where the results of a set of projects approved under this operational program were shared, which, in total, allowed for an investment of around 53 million euros, with 47 operations, in the Natural Heritage axis. and Cultural.

During the presentation, Hugo Pereira, mayor, said he was “very happy” that Lagos was chosen. “It's one of the great prizes of what is recognition of the work that has been done in recent years,” he said.

The objective with this requalification was, according to the mayor, to make people stop visiting the church, but rather “come to the museum in which the Church is included”. “What we want to do is value history,” he continued.

Hugo Pereira's statements were also in line with what had already been defended by José Apolinário.

«There is a long-standing idea that here, in the Algarve, nothing is done and that we are always facing the sun. In fact, we are facing the sun, but we are concerned with serving and serving better and better. The region has shown that it is sun and beach, but it has much more than that and that this association is outdated», he concluded.

 

Photo: Mariana Carriço | Sul Informação

 

In the total of the CRESC Algarve 2020 program, until 30 June, around 205,7 million euros (64,54%) of the 1.555 projects approved were executed, leveraging a total of around 610 million euros of eligible investment.

In addition to the Secretary of State for Culture, the president of CCDR Algarve, the Mayor of Lagos, and the Secretary of State for Regional Development (via video message), the panel also had the speeches of Adriana Nogueira, regional director of Cultura, and João Fernandes, president of Algarve Tourism.

In the working session, the project for the Islamic Baths and the Manor House of Barretos (Loulé), the project for the Revelim and Castle (Castro Marim), the Sé (Silves), the requalification of the Cine-Teatro António Pinheiro (Tavira), of the Megalithic Monuments of Alcalar (Portimão) and the Bezaranha Project, Culture in Network, under the responsibility of the Algarve Intermunicipal Community (AMAL).

 

 



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