News Porto.

Rally de Portugal, which scores for the WRC programme is back in Porto on 22 May. The Super Special stage will take to the Forte de São João Baptista, in Foz do Douro and today, 10 May, marks the beginning of the preparation of this Super Special.

Applications are open for WOMEX 2021, the World Music Expo, which takes to Porto between 27th and 31st October. This event is one of the most relevant music support and development projects in the global music scene. The event will introduce thousands of music makers and music lovers from over 90 countries, in the Invicta.

The European Council informal meeting, held in the framework of the European Union Social Summit, took place this morning at the Super Bock Arena – Pavilhão Rosa Mota. The Mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira joined Portuguese Prime Minister in the Gardens of the Palácio de Cristal, to welcome the 24 Heads of State that arrived in Porto for the European meeting. Rui Moreira visited the premises and witnessed the settled structure to the event.

This Saturday, 8 May, between 2 pm and 7 pm, travel to Flea Market Porto and find unique pieces that no one else has. Following a confinement period owing to the pandemic, stalls and stands are back in Porto, in Praça da República and celebrate 12 years that the Flea Market was established.

STCP bus fleet in Porto resumes 100% service offer on weekends, starting on 8 May, as well as the tram lines 1, 18 and 22, in the framework of the stage 4 of the easing of lockdown measures, issued by the Government.

Emerging from lockdowns and encountering sunshiny days (Spring is here!) is evermore blissful and urges to soul and body soothing activities. The municipal programmes Days with Energy (Dias com Energia) and Sundays in Shape (Domingos em Forma) resume this weekend, on 8 and 9 May. Although with no limits in the number of participants per activity, registrations are mandatory.

The Porto Social Summit starting point was the formal sitting at Porto City Hall, where Mayor Rui Moreira handed over the Keys of the city to the highest representatives of the European Union, David Maria Sassoli, Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen, before the opening of the Social Summit, this afternoon, at Porto Customs Building. Rui Moreira stated that the city is “very honoured with the presence of the European Union Highest Representatives, today, in Porto and in our town hall."

At The European Union Social Summit is held between today and Saturday. A few minutes earlier to the stroke of eleven am, the highest representatives of the European Union will be welcomed at Porto City Hall, where they will receive the Keys of the city of Porto by Mayor Rui Moreira.

The Cities Social Summit Conference, themed “Delivering social rights and supporting an inclusive recovery”, is being held today in an online format, with the participation of the Mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira in the first speakers’ panel. Rui Moreira explained that the Portuguese Government is still too dominated by centralism as regards the drafting of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), and enhanced the need to achieve a “real” decentralisation.

The second edition of Porto Photography Biennale is held between 14 May and 27 June. It will gather 46 artists and it will bring to the city 19 exhibitions, out of which 15 will take to spaces in the Invicta, one in Lisbon and three will be held in a virtual format. All events are entrance free.