"[De]constructing the Future": 8th National Urban Cleaning Meeting, in Guimarães

Guimarães hosts, between September 8 and 10, the 8th National Urban Cleaning Meeting (ENLU), at the MitPenha space. The event is promoted by the Urban Cleaning Association (ALU) and is part of the programming of Guimarães 26 – European Green Capital, bringing together local officials, municipal technicians, sector companies and specialists to discuss topics such as public space management, green areas, beaches and environmental enforcement.

In the opening session, Councilor Alberto Martins for the Environment argued that the meeting's theme, "[De]constructing the Future," implies questioning current development models and linked urban cleaning to public health, quality of life and citizenship. The local official also recalled Guimarães' ambition to become a "One Planet City" by 2050.

ALU's president, Ana Raimundo, challenged participants to rethink responses to urban cleaning problems and argued that this is a sector that depends not only on more resources or technology, but also on a change in behaviors. The Secretary of State for the Environment, João Manuel Esteves, participated via video and recalled the Terra Mais Strategy, which foresees an investment of approximately 2.3 billion euros in transforming Portugal's waste sector.

Throughout the meeting, projects from the Municipality of Guimarães will be presented, such as the Landscape Laboratory and Vitrus Ambiente, as well as concepts like the "15-Minute City" and tools like Metrominuto. The program also includes a geocaching activity to showcase Guimarães' heritage, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.