Rui Moreira publicises to the world the importance of Culture for the Municipality, in Tokyo

Invited by the governor of Tokyo, the Mayor of Porto is in the Japanese capital, where he emphasised the relevance of culture for the Invicta. At the 'SusHi Tech Tokyo – City Leaders Program' conference, the Mayor sat side by side with counterparts from other cities such as Edinburgh, Nice and San Salvador, with whom he reflected on new visions for the future.

During the conference, which began on 15 May and ends this Friday, 17 May, Rui Moreira stressed that, as Mayor, one of his top priorities was to increase the budget for Culture, as he considers it essential for the city's development.

'One of the most important aspects of the city is culture', the Mayor of the Invicta underlined, noting that in recent years, and under his authority, the Municipality once again opened 'museums and theatres' doors.

'People enjoy culture free of charge', he pointed out, after revealing to his counterparts and other guests that the city's budget in this area is around 5%.

The mayor also described the city as 'comfortable' and 'interesting' – a conciliation that makes it possible to respond to the needs and demands of all residents and visitors, regardless of their interests or age group.

'My mother prefers a more comfortable city, but my children value a more interesting city', he explained, using his own family as an example.

Tourism and housing

The Mayor of Porto also stressed the importance of tourism in the development and construction of cities, emphasising that the arrival of visitors to the Invicta 'is a gain, not an invasion', and stressing that residents increasingly understand that 'Tourism is an opportunity'.

Without forgetting the importance of housing in cities, and recalling the difficulties that residents are facing in accessing affordable rents, Rui Moreira unveiled a wish for the future: 'I hope that my successor will continue the work that is being done', he said, referring to the Porto com Sentido programme, which over the last three years has already managed to make available to the market 300 homes through subletting.

The 'SusHi Tech Tokyo - City Leaders Program' conference brings together leaders of large metropolitan cities from the world's five continents in Tokyo, Japan, to reflect on the development of a sustainable society for the future.

In addition, the meeting aims to deepen the links between the world's different cities, which can then work together to solve common problems.