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Description
Two territories representing asymmetrical socio-economic realities – the Lisbon region and the Coimbra region – will be the focus of the “LigAções” project, which will promote collaborative work between 30 coastal and inland civil society organisations to carry out actions of capacity building and public debates that enhance the political influence of local communities in responding to social and environmental problems. Two groups will be created, one in the Lisbon region and one in the Coimbra region, which will meet periodically to discuss local problems and the challenges faced by the organisations themselves. There will also be four working meetings between the two groups and a final conference. Meetings with local policy makers will be held during the project to discuss possible solutions to the challenges that these territories face.
Summary of project results
In view of the weak participatory culture in Portugal, which is particularly evident in the weakness of civil society organizations (CSO''s) in coordinating with public authorities and collaborating on joint actions, and in view of the disparities between the interior and the coastal regions, the project aimed to strengthen democratic culture and civic awareness in Portugal. In particular, it sought to empower and strengthen CSO''s as political actors and to raise awareness and mobilize citizens on the issue of territorial disparities in the country.
The project addressed territorial disparities and involved a process with 42 NGOs from the Centre region and Greater Lisbon, focusing on the creation of the Open Letter on the Right to Place. This was followed by an intense dissemination and discussion phase, starting with the production and distribution of a collective audiovisual resource presenting the Open Letter. This was shared by the NGO collective and civil society, on social media (Instagram and Facebook), the website, in the media, and with local and national political actors.
Conditions were created for the subscription of the Open Letter through a broad dissemination process and interaction with individuals and collectives who signed the letter. Over 50 personalized emails were sent to pre-identified NGOs, and online and in-person debates were organized, giving voice to academics, media, NGOs, children, and young people.
A press release was written and sent, and key media outlets were identified. Interviews were conducted with media outlets, resulting in 13 published articles.
The Open Letter was shared with local and national politicians, and relevant political actors were identified. Personalized emails were sent to 9 ministers and 19 secretaries of state from various national areas. The following were informed: Regional Coordination and Development Commissions, Ombudsman, National Association of Municipalities, and the Office of the President of the Republic. Locally, candidates for the presidency of the City Council in Lisbon and Coimbra were contacted, and in Condeixa, the Open Letter was disseminated among local officials. Eleven contacts led to meetings with political actors. Nationally, meetings were held with two advisors to the President of the Republic and an online meeting with two advisors from the Secretary of State for the Enhancement of the Interior.
During this period, the project focused on systematizing learnings about NGOs and political influence processes. This included an in-person meeting between collectives at the Gulbenkian Foundation on June 7, 2021, for joint reflection on the progress made, a final project meeting on September 29, 2021, in a debate format with the participation of four national civic movements, a reflection document and systematization of learnings in this area ("Civil Society Mobilized for the Right to Place: a Political Influence Process in 5 Steps"), and a dissemination video.
In quantitative terms, the following was achieved:
- 14 volunteers recruited by supported NGOs;
- 14 civic initiatives led by supported NGOs;
- 51 people educated in civic rights;
- 97% share of target group showing civic concerns.
In terms of capacity building, the promoter carried out a needs assessment and prepared an action plan. This led to the development of an institutional communication plan and a new website.
All proposed targets were met and exceeded.
Summary of bilateral results
Throughout the project, a valuable dialogue with Østfoldmuseene was maintained, which provided feedback on key moments and project outputs that we translated and shared. This bilateral collaboration allowed us to deepen our reflection on participation issues and gave us insights into the reality of Norway. The relationship we established with Østfoldmuseene proved to be supportive and highly constructive, leaving us eager and hopeful for future collaborations.