The project Rios Livres from GEOTA establishes a partnership with the project How to squat a river To the extent that it contributes with important scientific knowledge, as well as with a great experience, in the defence of our rivers.   It was during a short time found in a busy schedule that Ana and Pedro received us at the GEOTA’s headquarter. We thought about filming the interview on the street, but that December morning was too rainy for that. The interview began with a presentation of what Rios Livres is and its objectives: the project comes as a response and to question the Programa Nacional de Barragens (National Dams Program), onsidering it “one of the greatest threats to Portuguese rivers”. Thus, it is Rios Livres’ mission to halt the construction of the dams provided there, as well as to “prove that there are other less aggressive and cheaper ways […]

Logbook I Day 15 I How to squat a river

The interview we did to Margarida and José from Let’s Save Jamor (LSJ) was dense in content and elaborated in form. The conversation, which started at Cruz Quebrada beach, unfolded as we climbed the Jamor, entering the National Sports Centre of Jamor, ending at its entrance, just in front of the golf fields.   One of the main topics discussed, and the one that was also the first, was necessarily the detail plan of the right bank of the mouth of the river Jamor, in Cruz Quebrada. This is a project of the City Hall of Oeiras, and against the same as the LSJ has invested most of its energy action. According to the two environmental activists, this plan jeopardizes environmental principles, as well as the safety and mobility of local populations. Later, Margarida and José also told us about the management of the spaces of the National Sports Centre […]

Logbook I Day 14 I How to squat a river

Natalia is the person who has been present in this project from the beginning. It was her who, in the first forays we performed, patiently explained to us all about how and where the Jamor forms; the importance of the river to the region, in the past and nowadays; what better people to talk to in order to get more information about the history of the river. And she always followed the project very closely, through the many personal contacts we had, or through digital means. Natália is undoubtedly a key figure in How to squat a river.   That’s why the interview we made to her on that sunny November afternoon was so simple to do, and above all pleasant. With just a few questions, we managed to organize in a single speech all the precious information she had given us throughout this time. In addition to the interview, […]

Logbook I Day 13 I How to squat a river

Microphones and Marigolds Luísa and Luís have known each other for many years, he was still working in the Navy and she used to clean his house.   By that time they already got along well and talked a lot. In their conversations there was a recurring theme: the rural origins of Luisa and the desire of Luis to have a vegetable garden. Today he is retired and she has another job. But they never lost touch. One day Luisa knew that a neighbour was going to leave the piece of land that he was squatting near Jamor, right next to the Queluz train station, and where he kept a small squatter garden. Full of desire to get her hands in the dirt again, but fearing that the task was too great to do it alone, she challenged Luis: he had always spoken of wanting a vegetable garden, wouldn’t he […]

Logbook I Day 10 I How to squat a river

The Grand Tournament of Outros Campeonatos was a great party. Throughout the morning was held the football tournament. In addition to the Outros Campeonatos – Quinta do Cabrinha team, five other street football teams participated: Desafios E6G (Mira-Sintra), O Companheiro, Bola Prá Frente E6G (Bairro Padre Cruz), Dá-te ao Condado E6G (Chelas), Clube Desportivo Santo António de Lisboa (Quinta do Cabrinha). At half-time, we were able to watch a demonstration of cinotecnia of the project Mão-Guia. The games ended with the first place awarded to Companheiro and the fair-play prize to Santo Antonio.   KidFun – Benfica Foundation   Recycling Olympics   In the afternoon there were many entertainment activities. The Benfica Foundation has brought its KidFun project; the Cabrinha young people organized the Recycling Olympics; during the whole afternoon there was a pool in front of the base space of the Outros Campeonatos; the We Hate Tourism Tours drove […]

The Grand Tournament of Outros Campeonatos

Second exercise of the mapping process developed by Outros Campeonatos in the Quinta do Cabrinha neighborhood.   This collective mapping exercise was developed in two phases: the first one in Cabrinha, involving inhabitants of the neighborhood; the second, outside Cabrinha, but within the district of Alcântara, involving inhabitants of other neighborhoods of the district. The first phase aimed to obtain data that would allow us to know how the Cabrinha inhabitants use the urban resources that the district of Alcântara and its surroundings have; the second sought to obtain data of the same type, but relative to inhabitants of other neighborhoods of Alcântara. On one hand, we wanted to compare the extent to which the use of urban resources differs between the inhabitants of Cabrinha and the other inhabitants of Alcântara; on the other hand, we try to understand how the inhabitants of Alcântara come to the neighborhood of Quinta […]

Mapping the urban resources of Alcântara

Throughout the implementation of the Outros Campeonatos, in the background of the main activities of the project, such as street football games or sustainable touristic visits, a continuous process of collective mapping of the neighborhood of Quinta do Cabrinha was developed.   The developed process aimed to understand the broader and deeper aspects of the neighborhood’s social reality. We wanted to know why people come and use the neighborhood Quinta do Cabrinha, those who live there, but also those who live in the surrounding areas; how the inhabitants of Cabrinha interact with each other and with the spaces and urban resources of the neighborhood and its surroundings; also, how the inhabitants of the neighboring areas relate to Cabrinha and have access to the resources they provide; finally, the immaterial heritage of Cabrinha, the wishes, the vocations and the knowledge of those who live there, the history and the stories that […]

Mapping Cabrinha

When in the middle of the city the field breaks out The gardens in Queluz are impressive by the contrast they create with the surrounding buildings. It seems that the countryside is invading the city, finally the triumph of nature.   From the promenade that is over the huge plain that accompanies the Jamor, near the train station of Queluz-Belas, there are always many people working the land. On that day, we set up a conversation at the distance with two gentlemen, who, down below, watered with a huge hose what appeared to be baby cabbages. We wanted to know how to get off. They shouted at us that we would have to go to the end of Miguel Bombarda Avenue and enter through an opening between two buildings. We found such opening and walked along a path, along the left bank of Jamor; we saw how the river there […]

Log Book I Day 6 I How to squat a river

  It is already next Saturday, September 9, 2017, starting at 10h00, at Quinta do Cabrinha, in Alcântara. Outros Campeonatos reaches a special date, the Grand Tournament one! It will be a day full of activities: in addition to the street football tournament, which takes place in the morning, we have prepared activities throughout the day with and for the local community (population and institutions), to promote social cohesion and the improvement of public space. We also have the participation of the Fundação Benfica (Benfica Foundation) and the Mão-Guia project (Hand-Guide project) and we will publicly reveal the results of the Outros Campeonatos project. After almost a year of intense work with the community of Quinta do Cabrinha, we invite you to come and share with us this day. Come, everyone, come to Cabrinha!   The program is as follows: PROGRAM 10h-14h – Street Football Tournament Sports exchange between neighbourhoods […]

There will be a party! The Grand Tournament of Outros Campeonatos

I know I promised to write before. But there was so much work I didn’t have the time. Look at our Facebook page and confirm that there was no time to stop. We have reached the end of five intense days of sharing and conviviality. Of learning and bonding.     These days were, almost, too full. The bonds between all grew like roots at blazing speed, and in the end nobody wanted to leave. There was a lot of work going on in all the workshops. From the kitchen to the theatre there was a bit of everything. The workshops went really well, I can say that the food that came from them was delicious. And the theatre? It was intense and sincere, had the ability to put everyone thinking about the difficulties they face in everyday life. And we’ve got boxes that now have a new life, and […]

The internship ended but it’s here to stay