News Porto.

Red Bull Air Race is just around the corner. Just a few days before the beginning of this event, on 2 and 3 September, one of the key pilots of the race, Kirby Chambliss, shares his expectations on the race in Porto. The North American pilot is the current World Championship leader and the third most successful pilot in the history of the race.

In just over one week, Porto Book fair will feature a vibrant, intense and international cultural programme, to be held in the refurbished gardens of Palácio de Cristal, from 1 to 17 September. This years' edition, the fair will honour Portuguese Poet Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen. The literary universe of Sophia will be revisited by means of spoken word sessions, debates and exhibitions.

School Ship Sagres is in Leixões and open to visitors with extended operating hours. The iconic vessel set sail from Lisbon Naval Base Sunday and docked at Leixões Port as part of the educational trip of first year students of the Naval School.

With every justification, Porto is again spotlighted on the international scene. This time round as one of the 15 friendliest cities in the world to visit, according to Condé Nast Traveler.

Red Bull Air Race is considered the benchmark in terms of safety procedures. This was highlighted during the press conference, held in Vila Nova de Gaia City Hall regarding the action plan for the safety and security of this event that will take place in river Douro, between the cities of Porto and Gaia from 1 to 3 September.

Three eastern short films will be on show on 23 August at Restaurant Árvore (Cooperativa Árvore), under the "Boris Nights" warm-up preview programme for BEAST - International Film Festival, organised by Porto cine club, to be inaugurated in September.

The Municipal Theatre New season starts on 15 September featuring "Le Syndrome Ian", the last of Christian Rizzo's trilogy that revolves around different dance typologies. Now, the Director of the Centre Chorégraphique National de Montpellier is back in Rivoli with "Le Syndrome Ian" to conclude this trilogy, with a focus on nocturnal dances.

Serralves Foundation promotes a guided visit, next Wednesday, 23 August to appreciate the vibrant nightlife in the park. This event is held under the "Há luz no Parque" (There is light in the Park) initiative which, until the end of August, intends to provide visitors with a unique experience of the Park surroundings, from 9 pm till midnight.

The University of Porto provides coordination and organisational support, with other European and Uzbeke universities, under the E+ CBHE (Capacity Building in the field Higher Education), 2 (KA2) of Erasmus + Programme. Two of the six approved projects with a total funding of EUR 6 million will be coordinated by the University of Porto.

Porto will host the 18th EPIA - international conference on Artificial Intelligence from 5 to 8 September. Invited speakers include leading researchers such as Philipp Slusallek, Francesco Bonchi, and Simon M. Lucas. Promoting research, networking and enhancing the most significant advances in the area of AI are the main objectives of this event.