70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights What would society be like without non-governmental organisations? What is the relevance of Civil Society for the protection of Human Rights? The 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration is celebrated, but are all human rights guaranteed for all? On December 10, you will be able to learn about the work of more than 15 civil society organisations that work to protect Human Rights in Portugal.While celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration today, Human Rights are under threat in Europe by the advance of anti-democratic forces. Therefore, on the 10th we will reflect the role,  action and the impact of Civil Society and we will discuss a joint plan between participants and organisations on effective action to protect Human Rights and Democracy at a time when both are threatened. #NoDayWithoutUs is an event (link to facebook) that will bring together […]

No Day Without Us – 70 Years of Human Rights – 10th December

Call for Organisations (Portuguese Civil Society)   As part of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Civic Forum (ECF) is mobilising itself! NO DAY WITHOUT US is a set of simultaneous actions that aim to disseminate the impact of many civil society collectives working on the protection of human rights. This set of actions will take place in various parts of Europe on December 18, 2018. The actions are being organised by ECF member organisations. They aim not only to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but also to raise awareness of the importance of civil society in defending what this document represents. As a member organisation, the Citizenship Academy is responsible for organising the action in Lisbon. In order to promote the impact of civil society in Portugal, we plan to facilitate an event where members of various […]

NO DAY WITHOUT US!

Bremen, Germany | 21 Oct – 1 Nov   DESCRIPTION The main aim of the “Intercultural Performance for Social Change!“ youth exchange is to empower and equip youth with the competences needed to find creative solutions for social issues and various forms of communication that touch people on deeper levels of consciousness through art and culture. Together we want to discover and explore traditions and habits behind the stories of young people with different experiences and backgrounds.   OBJECTIVES to support and encourage the beauty of diversity and the benefits of intercultural dialogue with arts and non-formal education methods among young people from different cultures; to enhance creativity, self-confidence and self-discipline among young people and local students through  performing arts.   EXTRA INFO This youth exchange will bring youngters from Spain (4+1), Italy(4+1) Lithuania (4+1), Turkey (4+1), Portugal(5+1) and Germany together. The age of the participants is 18- 30 and one […]

Youth Exchange – INTERCULTURAL PERFORMANCE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE! (GERMANY)

Linz, Austria | 5th-12th November   DESCRIPTION This is a youth partnership project (ERASMUS+ Programme Key Action 1 TRAINING) aimed at developing the competences of youth workers and TRAINERS working with youth. The main topics tackled by the project are intercultural dialogue, escape-migration-inclusion, and the use of creative tools and methods in youth work. Expected participants in the project will have the experience in working with young people and an active interest in using theatre. The methodological approach of the project will be focused on Non-formal educational, and the working methods will include theatre tools, team building, debates, working groups, workshops, evaluation sessions and follow-up activities.   OBJECTIVES To promote cultural awareness in participants and their intercultural learning process; To offer to participants a clear methodological approach and new tools based on theatre and creativity; To share among participant’s creative working methods focused on promote social inclusion among young people […]

Training Course – Escape (AUSTRIA)

CATALUNYA | 18th – 25th September   DESCRIPTION This is a youth partnership project (ERASMUS+ Programme Key Action 1 TRAINING) aimed at developing the competences of youth workers and trainers working with youth. The main topics tackled by the project are intercultural dialogue, inclusion, and the use of creative tools and methods in youth work. Expected participants in the project will have the experience in working with young people and an active interest in using theatre. The methodological approach of the project will be focused on Non-formal educational, and the working methods will include theatre tools, team building, debates, working groups, workshops, evaluation sessions and follow-up activities. OBJECTIVES To promote cultural awareness in participants and their intercultural learning process; To offer to participants a clear methodological approach and new tools based on theatre and creativity; To share among participant’s creative working methods focused on promote social inclusion among young people […]

Training Course – Creativity as a tool for Youth Workers and Treiners (CATALUNYA)

Targoviste, Romania | 20th-29th August 2018 Between August 20 and 29, Citizenship Academy sent some Portuguese youngsters to the city of Targoviste, Romania, to be received by the association BeYou Romania, our partner organisation, in the project Ative Citizenship.  This project, tackled the theme of activism, by raising participants’ awareness for the importance of their active participation at local, national, European and global levels,  through non-formal  education methods. Since the involvement of young people in society is essential for the proper functioning and continuity of democracy, we are happy to have given Portuguese young people the opportunity to be empowered with this project. This Training Course was designed to develop the critical sense of its participants by showing them the various ways of being active in their societies. The various facets of political and social participation were presented and, thereby, the participants were able to acknowledge that to be a active […]

Training Course – Active Citizenship (ROMANIA)

But after all, how can we save Jamor? Better than anyone else to answer this question are Margarida and José from the Let’s Save the Jamor initiative.   “Let’s Save the Jamor emerged as a movement of citizens and residents, peaceful and non-partisan, having since acquired the status of Environmental Nongovernmental Organization. The movement aims to withdraw the Plano de Pormenor da Margem Direita da Foz do Rio Jamor (Detail Plan of the Right Bank of Rio Jamor’s mouth) and its replacement by alternative solutions that are environmentally adequate, socially and economically fair.” The explanation of its webpage, as well as the shares they are making in social networks, made us think of the obligation to contact this group of activists who, in recent years, have practically in an isolated form, fought against the Goliath which is the real estate market trying to dominate the Cruz Quebrada area. On a […]

Logbook I Day 12 I How to squat a river

An oasis within a cave. I think we have already said how paradisiacal the place where Mr. José Amaral has his garden is.   At first glance, nobody would notice it: in the suburb of Queluz de Baixo (suburb’s suburb, therefore), hidden behind cheap construction buildings of the 1990s, practically below the endemic IC19 road, lost in a deep valley and where the sun can only sneak in. To get there, you have to descend a slope that is practically steep, very carefully, in order to not slip on the black limestone stones, worn by use and time. The barking dogs in dogs cellars on the slopes that line the steep descent tell us that we are approaching another universe, a new reality: one in which the nasturtiums of the 90’s cease to be seen and the IC19 ceases to be heard; a new reality painted green, green, green, with […]

Logbook I Day 11 I How to squat a river

One of the main goals of How to squat a river is to give voice to civil society. As well as documenting their involvement in defending the rivers, in this case, the river Jamor.   But it is a fact that if people should benefit from the power to manage rivers, it is necessarily shared with local or national power. This was the reason why we contacted the counties’ autarchies that are bathed by Jamor, that is, those of Sintra and Oeiras. We wanted to know in what way and with what eyes those entities see the squatting that has been debated here, and which in many cases is carried out on public land. One of the most enthusiastic answers we received was that of the Union of Parishes of Massamá and Monte Abrãao (UPMMA), of the municipality of Sintra, headed by its president Pedro Brás. From the first moment […]

Logbook I Day 16 I How to squat a river