This year's edition of OPTO received 10.500 visitors, coming from Lisbon, Grândola, Faro, Lagos, Loulé, Portimão and Silves, as well as the Albufeira community, thus bringing together young people, teachers, parents and guardians.
From the 26th to the 28th of April, young people had the opportunity to collect privileged information and advice from the 76 participating institutions, along with the different experiences provided by the 134 activities presented.
It was also possible to watch cooking demonstrations and enjoy delicacies from around the world.
A IX edition of OPTO started in a tent outside the Municipal Pavilion of Albufeira, with the viewing of the video of the 2022 edition. OPTO, as well as the president of the Algarve Region Coordination Commission (CCDRA), rector of the University of Algarve, GNR, PSP and Albufeira Volunteer Firefighters, qualifying the participation of security and rescue forces as “very important assets for the organization of the event”.
José Carlos Rolo highlighted that “OPTO has been asserting itself year after year as the most important education and training event south of the Tagus and this owes much to the exhibitors, their skills and ability to capture the interest of young people through the curricula and training plans of each institution, but also through demonstrations of cooking, cocktails, aesthetics, among other areas, a kind of informal training, which helps young people to reflect on all the issues associated with a life path at academic or professional.
The mayor stressed that “not everyone has to opt for an academic career, they can embark on a professional course, on entrepreneurship and here at OPTO you can find excellent suggestions. OPTO is an excellent tool to give skills to young people who are the future of our community and country”, concluded José Carlos Rolo.
Cristiano Cabrita, vice-president of Albufeira City Council, responsible for Youth and Entrepreneurship, left a message of appreciation to all the young people who visited the Forum: “it is extraordinary to see the participation that this forum has, which from year to year continues to grow. This is an important and necessary event, not only for young people, but also for those responsible for their education, who have here a first platform for clarifying what the future of their children is”.
“Our strategy for young people in the municipality has always been a priority and proof of this is the number of actions we have developed in collaboration with the Youth Office (GAJ), to value youth talent”, he added.
In parallel with the educational and training offer, the program included lectures, workshops, presentation of experiences, culinary, chivalry and cynotechnic demonstrations, musical moments, theater, dance, a counseling space for students and guardians (by psychologists of the Macramé chain), the holding of the XII Inter Escolas Cocktail Contest, a fashion show, a debate on Freedom of Expression and lots of entertainment inside and outside the venue.
Of the 76 exhibitors, 17 belonged to the Secondary and Professional Education area, 18 to the Higher Education area, 11 from the scope of Languages, Mobility and Study Abroad, and the rest belonged to other entities, such as Deco, Navy, Army, GNR, PSP, Parachute Troops, Firefighters, Civil Protection, Albufeira Conservatory, Live Science Center, APAV, among others.
OPTO is a joint organization of the Municipality of Albufeira, Directorate-General for School Establishments, Directorate of Services for the Algarve Region (DGEstE) and the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP), also counting on the collaboration of the three School Groupings of the municipality .
Photos: CMA©Rui Gregório
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