Active Citizens: Uniting Voices, Inspiring Change
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Date
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Location
Auditorium 2 Calouste Gulbenkian FoundationThe conference Active Citizens: Uniting Voices, Inspiring Change aims to celebrate and disseminate the results and impact of the Active Citizens Programme in the 2018-2024 period.
Throughout the day, a wide range of speakers will discuss the NGO sector in Portugal and the relevance of the Active Citizens Program over the years.
Two studies promoted by the Program will be presented – an external evaluation study and another on the evolution of the NGO sector in Portugal, carried out by the Portuguese Catholic University – and good practices and impact stories will also be shared, told in the first person.
Registration will be open from October 21 to November 13.
Speakers
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Alice Frade
Vice-President, Human Rights Platform
Alice Frade has a degree in Anthropology and has worked in the fields of health, education, gender, cooperation and human rights in Portugal, Europe, Mozambique, Sao Tome Principe, Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau. She has been part of various national and international networks, focusing on advocacy and behavior change initiatives. She is currently Executive Director of P&D Factor.
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Américo M. S. Carvalho Mendes
Associate Professor, Católica Porto Business School
Lecturer since 1996 and Director of graduate studies in Economics, Social Economics and President of the Scientific Council. PhD in Economics (U. Arizona, 1995). Postgraduate studies in economics and rural development strategy (U. Aix-Marseille, 1980). Graduate in Economics (U. Aix-Marseille, 1979). Coordinator of ATES- UCP (Transversal Area of Social Economy – Catholic University of Porto).
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Ana Braga
Designer, illustrator and teacher
Ana Braga studied architecture at the Instituto Superior Técnico, graphic design at Restart and illustration at Ar.co. She is co-founder of Triciclo Editora. She teaches illustration and linocut at Ar.Co – Center for Art and Visual Communication. Between 2021-2023, she collaborated with Beira-Serra and the school community of Cova da Beira to create the board game “Constitução, O Jogo”.
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Ana Patrícia Fonseca
Executive Director, FEC - Fundação Fé Cooperação
Ana Patrícia Fonseca has been working at FEC – Fundação Fé Cooperação since 2008, where she coordinated the Department of Education for Development and Social Advocacy. In addition to her work at FEC, between January 2021 and July 2024 she held the presidency of the Portuguese Ongd Platform. Ana has a degree in Sociology.
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Anca Nicovescu
Coordinator, Grantmaking Programs Unit - Civil Society Development Foundation Romania (CSDF)
Anca Nicovescu has more than 25 years of experience working in the NGO sector, a good knowledge of the law governing non-profit organizations, and extensive experience in designing and managing projects and grant programs for NGOs.
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André Costa Jorge
General Director, Jesuit Refugee Service Portugal (JRS)
An Anthropologist by training, André Costa Jorge has been the General Director of Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in Portugal since 2008 and a member of the Board and Council of JRS Europe since 2013. Since October 2018, he has been the coordinator of the Refugee Support Platform (PAR), of which he was a co-founder.
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António M. Feijó
President of the Board of Trustees, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
President of the Board of Trustees of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation since May 2022. Full Professor in the Department of English Studies and Literary Theory Programme, School of Humanities, University of Lisbon. He has been Director of the School of Humanities, Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lisbon. He has written books and essays on English, American and Portuguese literature, as well as on translation and dramaturgy.
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António Manuel Figueiredo
Director of Strategy and Innovation, Quaternaire Portugal
Economist. Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Economics of Porto until December 2009, with research and consulting activities in the fields of economic development and globalization, regional planning, public policy evaluation, strategic planning, employment and training policy, and interregional and cross-border cooperation.
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Augo Knoke
Member of the Programme's advisory group
77 years, widower of a wife from Minho, northern Portugal. German national, retired civil servant, living in Viana do Castelo. Augo Knoke holds a degree in Social Psychology and has worked as a tutor, university assistant, researcher in social sciences and epidemiology, international collaborator at the Federal University of Maranhão, the National Environmental Commission of Chile and the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples in Brasilia.
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Bárbara Araújo
Member of the Programme's advisory group
From Gondomar, Porto. A Girl Scout for 11 years, knows how to tie knots, and that is probably her middle name. Passionate about listening to people’s stories and experiences, she knows how to make connections. With a degree in Social Education, she started as a volunteer at Pista Mágica, where she now works in the workshop area, firmly believing that volunteering has a place for everyone.
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Dino D'Santiago
President, Mundu Nôbu
One of today’s most popular musicians, Dino D’Santiago is president of Mundu Nôbu and has been recognized by the United Nations as one of the most influential voices of African descent in the world due to his intervention in the public arena. Today, he is a Portuguese reference in the defense of equity, social justice and the rights of the African ethnic community. He believes in a “human family”, in which everyone lives together united by Love: a Gerason di Oru in which everyone can dream and have the same opportunities.
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Fernanda Freitas
Journalist and presenter
Recognized for her commitment to social causes, Fernanda Freitas founded the association Nuvem Vitória, which promotes the reading of stories to hospitalized children. Throughout her career, she has stood out for her work in television and her active voice on issues of social responsibility, being an influential figure in the promotion of solidarity and volunteering in Portugal.
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Filipa Barreira
Consultant, Quaternaire Portugal
Filipa Barreira holds a degree in Sociology (2003) and a postgraduate degree in Data Analysis for the Social Sciences, both from the Instituto Superior de Ciências do Trabalho e da Empresa. Since October 2016, she has been a member of Quaternaire Portugal’s team of consultants, working on studies and projects in the areas of policy, program and project evaluation, employment, education and training, and skills benchmarking.
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Filipa Silveira e Castro
Member of the Programme's advisory group
Filipa Silveira e Castro is the mother of four children, Tomás, Bernardo, Vera and Vasco. Vasco was monitored in the pediatric ward of the Portuguese Institute of Oncology in Lisbon since 2008 and died at the age of 9 in 2013. She is a volunteer for the Acreditar Association – Association of Parents and Friends of Children with Cancer, and took part in the campaign “The mourning of a life does not fit into five days”. Civil Engineer and Master in Cybersecurity.
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Hanne Brusletto
Norwegian Ambassador to Portugal
Norwegian Ambassador to Portugal since November 2023, with over 25 years of diplomatic experience. Hanne Brusletto holds a master’s degree in history, Political Science and French (University of Oslo, 1994) and is a Senior Executive (Norwegian National Defense College, 2014).
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Hugo de Seabra
Project Manager, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Since 2013, Hugo de Seabra has managed the PARTIS & Art for Change initiative, a collaboration between Gulbenkian Equity and the “la Caixa” Foundation, which aims to empower and create networks by funding projects in the field of participatory art. Master in Economics and Historical Sociology (U.Nova Lisbon, 2002). Postgraduate in “Ethnicities and Nationalisms” (Universiteit Van Amsterdam, 2000) and a degree in Sociology (U.Nova Lisbon, 1997).
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Inês Rapazote
Communications department, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Inês Rapazote has been working for the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s communications team since 2018. Before that, she was a journalist for 20 years, most of them at VISÃO magazine, because she loved telling stories, and press officer for the Minister of Defense and the Minister of Education. In 2017, she published a book documenting the impact of 11 projects supported by the Active Citizenship Program, entitled “No matter how dark the night… tomorrow is another day”.
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Inês Rueff
Film director, More Than Stories
Inês Rueff studied film and has always worked in the documentary genre. She co-founded the production company More Than Stories in 2023, dedicated to producing stories related to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, following green shooting practices. Certified Green Advisor since March 2023.
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João Saavedra
Project Manager, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
João Saavedra manages a portfolio of projects analyzing public policies or promoting relations between Armenians and Turks. João started his professional career in an NGO in Mozambique and later joined its board of directors. He has also worked as an external expert, evaluating projects submitted to the Erasmus+ program. With a degree in PPE, he received a scholarship from Oxford University, where he completed his Masters.
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José Eleutério
Project Manager, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
José Eleutério is a member of the Active Citizens Programme and was part of the previous Cidadania Ativa Programme and a public EU funds managing authority. Experience in managing European funds to promote social inclusion and economic development. Bachelor’s degree in Economics, postgraduate diploma in Development Studies and an MSc in Management, with a specialisation in programme and project management.
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Kristīne Zonberga
Director, Civic Alliance – Latvia.
Kristīne Zonberga holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Professional Master’s degree in Public Administration. With a strong background in civil society and the private sector, Kristīne assists organizations on legal, administrative, good governance and public policy issues. Author of publications on public administration and civic participation.
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Laís Pinto
Member of the Programme's advisory group
Laís Pinto is Brazilian and has lived in Portugal for almost six years. She has worked in different sectors and faced the challenges of being an immigrant. She is currently studying coding and is a member of the advisory group of the Active Citizens Programme. At the same time, she is an actress in the Playback Theatre, dedicated to improvisation and art as a form of expression.
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Liliana Valpaços
Executive Director, Mundu Nôbu,
Liliana Valpaços was Chief Operating Officer of the Luso-American Development Foundation. She has coordinated several philanthropic and social intervention projects in the areas of Education and Mental Health. She holds a Master’s degree in Management (ISCTE) and has a degree in Data Analytics and Impact for Non-Profit from Northwestern University and in Corporate Sustainability Management from the Yale School of Management. She believes that equity will only be achieved when everyone mobilizes.
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Lúcia Santos
Executive Director, Bissaya Barreto Foundation
Author of articles and book chapters in national and international publications and participated in research projects and working groups in the social and early childhood education fields. She is President of the Jury for the Bissaya Barreto Prize for Children’s Literature. She was President of APEI and a member of the General Council of the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra. Lucia is a certified kindergarten teacher with a degree and MA in Education Sciences.
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Luís Proença
Deputy Director of Communications, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Journalist. Currently Deputy Director of Communications at the Gulbenkian Foundation, Luís Proença began his professional career at TSF in 1989. He started at Expresso and participated in the creation of Publico in 1990. He moved to television in 1999, joining SIC Notícias as Editor-in-Chief. He was program director at Antena 1 and consultant at RTP2. In 2008 he joined SIC as Program Director, where he worked for 11 years.
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Marco Gabriel
General Coordinator, Beira Serra Association
With a degree in Management from the University of Beira Interior, Marco Gabriel has been at Beira Serra Association since 2008. He was a field operative for the ConVidas and COMpasso (EQUAL) projects, responsible for the monitoring and preparation of the “Operação Família” (Family Operation), “Família em Ação” (Family in Action) and “Vamos Lá Família” (Let’s Go Family) games, and manager of the CIVITAS project. He has been president of the Boidobra (Covilhã) Parish Council since 2014.
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Marco Ribeiro Henriques
Executive Director, APAC/RESHAPE
Marco Ribeiro Henriques is passionate about creating more just, inclusive and sustainable societies. In addition to his work at APAC/RESHAPE, he is a university lecturer in the field of social inclusion law. He is a Ph.D. candidate at NOVA School of Law and holds a B.A. and M.A. in law. He is a researcher whose work has been published in Portugal and several other countries. He collaborates in various investment programs as a consultant in the social justice sector and prison systems.
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Margarida Cruz
Director-General, ACREDITAR
Margarida Cruz is a Law graduate from the University of Lisbon and was admitted to the Bar in 1985. She holds a postgraduate degree in Social Economy from ISCTE, in Community Law from the Catholic University and an MBA in International Management. Since 2002, she has been the Director General of ACREDITAR, an organization dedicated to childhood cancer.
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Margarida Gaspar de Matos
Professor, University of Lisbon/Catholic University of Portugal
Clinical Psychologist. Professor of International Health at the University of Lisbon. UCP invited Professor. Researcher at the Católica Research Center for Psychological, Family and Social Wellbeing. Founding member of the Portuguese Laboratory for Healthy Work Environments. Coordinator of national and international projects promoting child and adolescent health. Scientific Coordinator of the Psychological Health and Well-being Observatory of the Department of Education and Science Statistics.
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Maria de Assis Swinnerton
Deputy Director Culture Programme, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
With a degree in History and post-graduation in Arts Management, Maria de Assis Swinnerton has a diverse background, from journalism and essay writing to programming consultancy, including curating arts-education projects. She directed DESCOBRIR (Gulbenkian Foundation 2013 to 2017) and DESCOLA (EGEAC/Lisbon Municipality 2017 to 2022). In addition to her work at the Gulbenkian Foundation, she is Chair of the Advisory Board of the National Arts Plan.
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Maria Mineiro
Coordinator, National Management Unit EEA Grants.
Maria Mineiro holds a Law degree from the Universidade Nova de Lisboa and a postgraduate and master’s degree in the same field. In 2013 and 2015, she worked at the Ministry of Culture. In 2017, she was appointed Vice President of the Cinema and Audiovisual Institute. Since June 2023, she has been the coordinator of the National Management Unit of the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism (EEA Grants).
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Marisa Marques
Anthropologist, Beira Serra Association
At Beira Serra since 2008, Marisa Marques has been a project assistant for the Escolhas program and coordinated FAPE projects in partnership with local Roma communities. She is the coordinator of the VELEDA Project – Women and Single Parenthood, the PARTIS/FCG Initiative and the VELEDA Project for Single Parent Women. She was a staff member of the CIVITAS project, which created the game “CONSTITUTION – The Game”.
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Martin Sarkis Essayan
Executive Trustee, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Great-grandson of founder Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian, Martin Essayan has been a trustee of the Gulbenkian Foundation since 2005, succeeding his father as head of the Foundation’s UK office and Armenian Communities Department. He holds an engineering degree from Cambridge and an MBA from Harvard.
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Patrícia Viegas Nascimento
President, Bissaya Barreto Foundation
Patricia Viegas Nascimento holds a degree in Management and Public Administration and a postgraduate degree in Management of Non-Profit Organizations. President of the Board of the Bissaya Barreto Foundation since 2008. Vice-President of the General Assembly of the Portuguese Foundation Center (CPF) since 2018. President of the Board of the Portuguese Association of House Museums since 2023.
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Pedro Calado
Director, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Director of the Active Citizens Programme and the European and Media Information Fund since 2023, he holds a degree and a Master’s in Geography, specializing in “Exclusion, Society and Territory”, from the Universidade Clássica de Lisboa, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Sociology from ISEG. He was High Commissioner for Migration for six years. At the same time, he was National Coordinator of the Escolhas Program and President of the Commission for Equality and Against Racial Discrimination.
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Raquel Campos
Assistant Professor, Católica Porto Business School
Assistant Professor at the Católica Porto Business School and PhD in Management from the University of Bath, UK. Raquel Campos has coordinated studies on the non-profit sector, including the study “The Social Impact of Portuguese Foundations” for the Portuguese Foundation Center (2021), the “Diagnosis of NGOs in Portugal” for the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (2015) and the Portuguese chapter of the European Foundations for Research and Innovation project for the European Commission (2015).
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Reverbo
Theater Group
As part of the Active Citizens Program, we emerged from the “Giving Stage to Difference” project, promoted by the Higher Institute of Applied Psychology (ISPA). The group uses the Playback Theater methodology to amplify silenced voices, creating connections and empathy through improvised scenes based on real stories from the audience. We work in schools and prisons, promoting human rights.
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Rosário Palha
Project Manager, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
In the Gulbenkian Foundation’s Sustainability Program since 2019, Rosário Palha manages projects on the efficient use of water and the definition of municipal climate policies and objectives and initiatives associated with the impact of cultural activity and the reporting of sustainability indicators. She has a degree in International Relations and Global Environmental Governance. She worked for the Business Council for Sustainable Development and consulted on corporate sustainability and ESG.
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Saliu Djau
Project Manager, European Media and Information Fund
A Master’s student in Digital Technologies for Business, Saliu Djau holds a degree in International Relations and a postgraduate degree in Crisis and Humanitarian Action, as well as in Digital Technologies for Management. He is currently a Project Manager at the European Media and Information Fund at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
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Sandra Ferreira
Project Manager, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Sandra Ferreira is a member of the Foundation’s Partnerships with Africa Programme team. She has worked in the field of international cooperation for over 25 years, having coordinated and managed programs in various countries, particularly in the area of health and research, for bilateral cooperation agencies, the European Union, NGOs and foundations. She has a degree in chemical engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico and a master’s degree in humanitarian medicine.
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Sofia Nunes
NGO Support Officer, Bissaya Barreto Foundation
Sofia Nunes holds a degree and an MA in Education from the Faculty of Psychology, University of Coimbra. She is a member of the team of the Active Citizens Programme as NGO Support Officer. She develops and implements mechanisms and initiatives to build the capacity of civil society organizations and supports the preparation of applications and project management. She is also educational coordinator at the Bissaya Barreto Training Centre.
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Susana Padilha
Member of the Programme's advisory group
Born and raised in Valongo, Susana Padilha always dreamed of getting married and becoming a mother. She is the mother of two girls. Studying, working and looking after her 88-year-old mother has been her main activity. At the age of 41, she became a receptionist, feeling professionally fulfilled. Years later, after her mother’s death, she was diagnosed with a progressive eye disease and anxiety. It was after meeting Pista Mágica that she was able to continue dreaming.
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Tiago Rodrigues
Member of the Programme's advisory group
Born in the city of Porto, Tiago Rodrigues soon became social and concerned about the well-being of others. Perhaps this was helped by the fact that he was the only child of a single mother. He finished 12th grade in science and technology and has always worked in contact with the public, from customer service and sales to the welfare of the school community in colleges and summer camps. An adapted Futsal coach at Boavista FC, he dreams of growing up and having a voice to give to those in need in society.
Programme
09:00 / Welcoming & registration
09:30 / Opening remarks
10:00 / EEA Grants support: assessment and future perspectives
— 11:00 / Coffee break 30 min., networking and project demonstrations —11:30 / Active Citizens Programme external evaluation
12:15 / Sharing good practices: Inspiring change (breakout sessions)
Giving Voice to Human Rights
Citizenship as a Game and in Law
Stronger and more empowered NGOs
Sustainability strategies for working with vulnerable groups
14:30 / NGOs in Portugal and Europe – How has the sector evolved in the past 10 years?
15:30 / Impact Narratives: Uniting Voices
16:15 / What does it really mean to be an Active Citizen?
16:45 / Cocktail, networking and project showcase
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation reserves the right to collect and keep records of images, sounds and voice for the diffusion and preservation of the memory of its cultural and artistic activity. For further information, please contact us through the Information Request form.