On 4 December, the Portuguese Catholic University - Braga celebrated International Volunteer Day in a special afternoon of sharing and action prepared by Voluntaria*te, Frattelli Tutti and UCP4SUCCESS, with the support of the FFCS Student Association, MENTORIZATE, Líricas, the Praxe Commission, NEP and Sintoniza*te.

Students, teachers and staff were actively involved in the different activities that celebrated volunteering as a tool for transforming a more supportive and inclusive society and raising awareness of sustainable change.

Among the activities carried out were the planting of trees in the micro-forest of the S. Vicente urbanisation - with the presence of Altino Bessa, Braga City Council's Councillor for the Environment and Daniel Pinto, President of the S. Vicente Parish Council - and a workshop on the impact of volunteering, organised by SYnergia Portugal, followed by a moment of recognition for volunteers and institutions.

In the activity ‘Eco Ação: Laboratório de Ideias’ (Eco Action: Laboratory of Ideas), the different academic groups organised reflection sessions: healthy and sustainable food (Lyricas), climate change (FFCS Students' Association), ecological footprint (MENTORIZATE) and aromatic and medicinal plants (Praxe Commission). Through painting and artistic expression, students had the chance to express their ideas and propose initiatives, a special opportunity to reflect on what it means to look after our ‘common home’ - the world we inhabit, but also our university, this space for sharing and learning where we build a more supportive and sustainable future together every day.

The action plans/artistic projects are on display in the FFCS atrium, so that the entire academic community can get to know them and vote for the initiative they would like to see implemented at UCP-Braga.

Visit the exhibition, get to know the ideas and vote until 20 December!