Educating Cities recognise best practices and 'Aconchego' values

As well as sparking interest to be replicated in several Brazilian municipalities, the municipal programme that promotes the hosting of higher-education students in the homes of senior citizens was even distinguished during the International Congress of Educating Cities, which took place in Curitiba, Brazil.

Present at the event, the Councillor for Education and Social Cohesion, Fernando Paulo, received, on behalf of the Municipality of Porto, an honourable mention awarded to 'Aconchego' (Comfort) by the Educating Cities Award to Best Practices in Values-Based Education.

Under the motto 'Those who study have a home. Those who have a home have company', the programme has covered 279 senior citizens and 279 students since it was launched in 2004. There are ten active processes in the current academic year, involving ten students and ten senior citizens.

In Curitiba, the councillor highlighted this as a 'historical congress for the approval of Portuguese as the International Network's official language, which currently includes 95 Portuguese and 42 Brazilian cities'.

Additionally, he adds, 'it's also an excellent opportunity to publicise three projects that are considered to be best practices for the world, and we're honoured to have been awarded the "Aconchego" prize'.

The programme, 'which highlights the priority we give to educational and social policies', was presented during the panel on 'Social Sustainability: Inclusion and Cultural Pluralism, Equal Opportunities and Care'.

Fernando Paulo also took part in a session on 'Social Sustainability: Inclusion and Cultural Pluralism, Cultural Pluralism, anti-racism and mediation', where he spoke about 'The practice of mediation: promoting inclusion and peace in the Municipality of Porto', developed by the City Council.

The Falcão Primary School refurbishment also travelled to Brazil, with the presentation of the poster 'The Sustainable School: Transforming the Future in the Present'.

This year's theme was 'Sustainability, Innovation and Inclusion in the Educating City: transforming the present', the International Congress of Educating Cities brought together around 400 participants from 136 cities and 12 countries.

Throughout the event, speakers and participants debated public policies, socio-environmental issues, social innovation, reducing inequalities, preserving and transmitting culture, belonging to the territory, revitalising public spaces, among other important topics for life in cities.