News Porto.

Porto City Hall has distributed vouchers worth circa 50 thousand euros thus far, to commercial establishments that have joined the support programme to boost local commercial businesses in the city of Porto. For each 20 euros buying, the customer gets a 2 euro direct discount. Applications can still be submitted until 30th July.

The Prize “Cinco Estrelas Regiões” [“Five stars Region”, free translation] was afforded to the Serralves Foundation, which is described “as a European reference” and “one of the main cultural institutions when it comes to disseminating Contemporary Art, besides being a heritage asset that is classified as national monument”. This is the 4th edition of the competition, and consumers voted in the Serralves Foundation in the category Museums.

Launched as a tribute to culture by Paulo Cunha e Silva, former councillor for Culture at Porto City Hall (deceased in November 2015), with the outlining goal of reaching everyone everywhere in society, in all venues, all across the city, the municipal programme Cultura em Expansão continues, as expected, to transform the city, by expanding values and new perspectives towards life. On 19 May, at 7.30 pm, the Associação Nun’Álvares de Campanhã hosts a concert by JP Simões & Amigos.

The Mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira, announced this morning that the Government reached an agreement regarding the “methodology” for the railway construction between the Northern Region of Portugal and Galicia. The procedure will follow the “Iberian gauge”, rather than the European one, which, according to Rui Moreira, offers the advantage of enabling complementary trajectories. However, this “old-standing dream” may take as much as 10 years to be accomplished.

The HIV/AIDS Mobile Unit screening actions are organised by the Counselling Centre for the earlier HIV/AIDS diagnosis, and it features monthly free planning regarding HIV/AIDS screening actions, in various locations in Porto. There is no need for previous registration. See here the dates, times and locations for May.

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.