On September 8, at 6:00 p.m., the Portuguese Catholic University—Braga Campus will celebrate the start of the new 2026/2027 academic year with the Hope Summer Fest.
In a context marked by challenges and transformations, the event aims to be a time for gathering, reflection, and celebration of hope, with the goal of uniting the academic community around a message of confidence and inspiration for the new academic year that is now beginning.
The session will begin at 6:00 p.m. with the opening ceremony, followed at 6:10 p.m. by a talk titled “How to Promote Hope” by Edson Athayde, CEO and Creative Director of FCB Lisbon.
At 6:30 p.m., a roundtable discussion will take place, bringing together different perspectives and experiences on the theme of hope. Participants include Ricardo Ramos, Head of Sustainability, AI Integration & Compliance Officer at Águas Monchique; Fr. Paulo Duarte, S.J., Deputy Director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network; Helena Mendes Pereira, from the General Directorate and Curatorial Department of the Museum and ZET Gallery; and Maria José Fernandes, Vice President of CCDR-N for Education.
The program ends at 8:00 p.m., followed at 8:10 p.m. by a cocktail reception, which promises to be a time for participants to socialize and celebrate the start of another academic year.
The Hope Summer Fest thus aims to mark the start of the 2026–2027 academic year by providing an opportunity for the academic community to come together, share different perspectives, and, above all, reflect on the role of hope in the face of present and future challenges.
