‘ISA Culture’ launches challenge for an inclusive Portuguese Capital of Culture Braga

During this week, Braga hosts the International Network ‘ISA Culture’, an initiative led by the Bracara Augusta Foundation, which stands out as a symbol of inclusion, diversity and cooperation. For the president of the Foundation, this project born in Braga could be included in the competencies and program of the Portuguese Capital of Culture, a title that the city will bear in 2025.

Bringing together young people with diverse social, cultural, physical and intellectual vulnerabilities, from Spain, Slovenia and also Portugal, the ‘ISA Culture’ project aims to promote the exchange of experiences and knowledge between different cultures and realities, thus fostering mutual understanding and building bridges between communities.

During this week, participants have the opportunity to participate in various cultural, educational and recreational activities, which aim to provide moments of fun and learning, but also promote inclusion and mutual acceptance. From educational games to guided tours of historic sites, every moment is an opportunity to strengthen bonds and celebrate diversity.

This Thursday, the Mayor of Braga, Ricardo Rio, received the participants and highlighted the support and collaboration of several entities, which came together around this project.

“Braga is a space for meeting and inclusion and we are certain that Culture has a determining role in the reinsertion of audiences that cultural initiatives do not reach”, said the mayor, remembering that “there is still a long way to go”.

Ricardo Rio defended the need to “create a critical mass in society that is sufficient to break down barriers, bring together, form and include”.

Therefore, he continued, “this cooperation that involves universities, entities in the social and cultural sector, all with the same objective of promoting access to culture by vulnerable groups, will contribute decisively to the social inclusion and active participation of these young people”.

CHALLENGE

“The Bracara Augusta Foundation is pleased with the success of the partnership and cooperation work that it has been developing within the scope of the European network of which this project is a precursor and for the way in which we have been promoting accessibility to Culture in all sectors that make up diversity of our communities, especially in the processes of inclusion of groups that have been removed from participation, work and enjoyment of the cultural production that takes place”, stated Miguel Bandeira, president of the Foundation.

Referring to the “exemplary” participation and the “attention and interest shown” by this group, Miguel Bandeira said that “it is very revealing that this project born in Braga could be included in the Capital’s competencies and program. Portuguese of Culture, a title that Braga will bear in 2025, guaranteeing, from now on, the distinction, reach and pioneering spirit of this initiative to make the Portuguese Capital of Culture inclusive and accessible to all audiences and participation”, he concluded.

Accessibility to culture and heritage are the structuring vectors of the project “ISA Culture: Intellectually and Socially Accessible – On the way to equality: culture as a tool for social inclusion and labor integration”. The objective is to promote access to culture for socially and intellectually excluded people, through a comprehensive project that understands the causes of cultural exclusion and works to overcome this social problem that is transversal to Europe.

This project, financed by the Erasmus+ Youth/Sports & CES program, is composed in Portugal by the Bracara Augusta Foundation, the Braga Regional Center of the Catholic University of Portugal, CERCI Braga, the University of Burgos, in Spain, and the RISA Association, in Slovenia.