Portugal

Rede Convergir – Centre Part of the “Rede Convergir” (Converge Network), the project “Há Festa no Campo!” (literally: There’s festivity in the countryside) aims to support the local development of Juncal do Campo, Freixial do Campo, Barbaído and Chão da Vã, four small villages in the district of Castelo Branco, by organising activities of a cultural and social nature. Promoted …

Rede Convergir – North Throughout history, rivers have played a key role in the establishment of human communities, from which they drew their sustenance, and for the development of communication networks. The relationship between humans and rivers is an ancient one, and, for millennia, has been balanced and beneficial. However, in the last few centuries, and particularly in recent decades, …

Rede Convergir – South Quinta da Fornalha in Castro Marim is a holistic project that has belonged to the same family for several generations. The current owner, 33-year-old Rosa Dias, took up this project in 2008 as she felt “a certain urgency about preserving the culture and heritage of our ancestral memories.” She adds that the project “is based on …

In a spirit of cooperation and in an integrated and inclusive manner, this association works for sustainability and personal and community development. Its philosophy can be summarised in three simple ideas based on the ethics of permaculture: 1) CARING FOR NATURE Total respect for, and the conservation of, all living things enable holistic cycles to be generated. These sustain the biodiversity …

This project is located in the Alto Minho region of this country and is based on the concept of Slow Food. It is trying to counter the trend towards the phenomenon of mass, rapid and standardized production of fast food. Slow food means eating better, and sitting at a table to appreciate a real meal, in peace, in the company …

Human evolution occurs through the comprehension of the phenomena that surround us. Back in the mists of time, the forces of nature were explained as divine acts that punished or rewarded us for our actions. But through the repeated observation of the same phenomena, humans understood that nature functions cyclically and could be used for their benefit. Initially, this was …

What is presumed to have been the last Portuguese lynx was seen at the beginning of the 1990s in the Monchique uplands. It was probably shot by hunters. But the species had already been driven to the verge of extinction. The population of wild rabbits, on which the lynx fed almost exclusively, shrank owing to a viral epidemic and to …

Ecolã is a micro-business that has been owned by the Clara family in Manteigas for three generations. In “burel” – a Portuguese artisan fabric of local origin made wholly from wool – they found the basis for their success. For years, it was used for shepherd’s coats, for the costumes of the confraternities and religious orders. Despite retaining its original …

Even though seaweed has featured in people’s diets in Europe in some way or another owing to the fact that there is a lot of it in the Atlantic Ocean, this product has not been a normal component of the Portuguese diet. However, in recent years, this superfood has been becoming more common on our tables. This change is not …

The vision of www.redeconvergir.net is to have a platform that maps sustainable and inspiring projects so that the network members can cooperate, enhance synergies, and contribute to a balanced society and a human life in harmony with the surroundings. The aim is to link projects in their activities and to promote reflection and awareness on the role of every human …