Cities 4 YOUth – YOUth Event in Valongo, Portugal (8th
to 12th of June 2026)
Empowering Young Voices for the Future of European Cities
From 8 to 12 June 2026, young people, youth workers, municipal representatives, and project partners gathered in Valongo, Portugal, for the final international YOUth Event of the Cities 4 YOUth project. Hosted by the Municipality of Valongo, the event brought together participants from across Europe to exchange experiences, explore innovative approaches to youth participation, and strengthen cooperation between young citizens and local authorities.
Throughout the week, participants engaged in interactive workshops, team-building activities, study visits, cultural experiences, and discussions focused on democracy, active citizenship, and the role of young people in shaping the future of their communities. A particular highlight of the event was the Oxford Debate held during the Valongo Youth Festival, where participants demonstrated critical thinking, public speaking, and democratic engagement while debating contemporary urban challenges.
The event also provided an opportunity to discover inspiring youth-led initiatives implemented through Valongo's Youth Participatory Budget, showcasing how local authorities can successfully empower young people to design and implement projects that create positive social impact. By combining learning, intercultural exchange, and active participation, the YOUth Event reinforced the core objectives of the Cities 4 YOUth project: fostering youth engagement, strengthening local democracy, and encouraging young people to become active contributors to more inclusive, sustainable, and vibrant European cities.
As the final international mobility of the project, the Valongo event represented both a celebration of the achievements accomplished throughout the partnership and an important step toward ensuring the long-term sustainability of the project's results and networks.
Day 1 – Tuesday June 9, 2026
Day 1 of the project focused on not only icebreaking and teambuilding activities but also the recent updates of Valongo municipality since the trips as part of this CERV project first began.
After being picked up from the hotel, participants were taken to Valongo Central, specifically the building of Oficina da Regueifa e do Biscoito (The Traditional Bread and Biscuit Workshop). While this is a museum dedicated to the history of regueifa (a traditional Portuguese bread) and traditional biscuits, the morning activities took place on the second floor, originally intended to be a restaurant but never opened.
This was where participants took part in numerous activities to learn about each other to have a much bigger success for the following days.
This provided participants with an opportunity to get to know one another through a variety of interactive activities, helping to establish a strong foundation for cooperation and collaboration throughout the remainder of the program, which is especially important for the teams for the upcoming Oxford debate.
The first activity was the "Move and Name," where participants in a circle said their name and made a move. The other participants in the line were to repeat the last 10 names while remembering the name as well as move. The repetition helped the participants remember the names.
The second was the "Sun Shines On," where, sitting in a circle, one participant would stand in the center and say a statement beginning with "The sun shines on everyone who…," followed by a characteristic or experience (e.g., "has traveled before" or "likes football"). Those who identified with the statement would change places, and the one person who didn't sit on a chair in time would choose the next statement.
The third activity was speed dating in groups, where a facilitator would give a statement, and 4 different areas of the room would be associated with the answer they identified with the most. After each statement, participants would discuss in the corners.
An energizer also took place focusing on guesswork. Participants stood in a circle while one person temporarily left the room. A "leader" was then chosen within the group to lead subtle dance or movement changes, which the rest of the group had to follow without revealing the leader's identity. The returning participant had to observe carefully and guess who the leader was.
A one-to-one speed dating activity also took place, with chairs in front of each other, and participants were given a statement to discuss with the person in front of them. It is important to note, that all of these activities were facilitated by youngsters, members of the Municipality's Youth Council.
After the coffee break, the members of said municipality's Youth Council had the opportunity to talk all about what is referred to as the "Youth Participatory Budget." The youngsters explained examples of projects and workshops written directly by them, such as one that focused on sexuality and gender equality issues, another on theater, and even international activities where youngsters work alongside seniors to construct traditional games.
The Youth Council explained that originally youngsters gave ideas while municipalities themselves implemented projects from start to finish, yet now it's been switched to entirely youngster-led and supported by municipalities. The budget for each project cannot exceed 10,000 euros, and the annual budget is 250,000 euros, meaning 25 such projects can take place. A voting system is in place, using a library card to prove residency in Valongo, and that's how projects are decided to be implemented.
After lunch, we had the opportunity to meet city councilor Cláudia Lima, who spoke about Valongo and current updates. This was when we also took a bus to Piscina Quinta do Passal in Campo (part of Valongo), a new municipal pool opened just 10 months ago, in August 2025.
After dinner, we had the opportunity to take part in one of the projects made possible by the Youth Participatory Budget, focusing on cinema. As June is pride month, the movie chosen was the British movie Pride (2024), based on the real events depicting a group of lesbian and gay activists who raised money to help families affected by the British miners' strike in 1984.
Day 2 – Wednesday June 10, 2026
The second day of the program began in Vila Beatriz, and quite specifically the Sala da Lareira room meaning the fireplace room, near what is known as the Youth House.
This was where participants took part in the workshop to teach them what exactly an Oxford debate is, and how exactly it's going to take place the following day at the youth festival. With the statement of the topic being said as "This house believes technology reduces the need to live in big cities", the proposition was set to defend this position, while the opposition advocates for the opposite.
Participants who directly took part in the previous Oxford debates had the opportunity to give advice based on their previous experiences on the flipchart. With the team being split into two, each team worked together to not only prepare their position but also choose which 4 members would be the ones on the panel.
After coffee break, Mari, one of the youngsters from Valongo hosted an activity teaching participants how to prepare Fanzine's, a fun sized magazine created simply using scissors and a normal A4 paper. Fanzines, literally a blend of the words "fun" and "magazines" can be self-published, non-professional publication created by enthusiasts for a specific cultural interest. As the project focused on small cities, participants had the opportunity to make their own!
The afternoon took place entirely in Porto, the biggest city closest to Valongo. The entire tour was led by the youngsters of Valongo, and this was when we had the opportunity to see the following
Clérigos Tower – One of Porto's most iconic landmarks, offering panoramic views of the city from the top of its historic bell tower.
Palácio de Cristal – A beautiful garden complex known for its landscaped grounds, scenic viewpoints, and views over the Douro River.
Jardim do Morro – A popular hilltop park in Vila Nova de Gaia, particularly renowned for its spectacular sunset views over Porto. This was the meeting point prior to heading to dinner.
Dom Luís I Bridge – A famous iron bridge spanning the Douro River and connecting Porto with Vila Nova de Gaia, where we had dinner.
Heading back to the hotel, participants got a much-needed rest for the festival day the next day.
Day 3 – Thursday June 11, 2026
The ultimate day of the project, taking place entirely at the Valongo City Park with the oxford debate, workshops, booths, activities music and more.
The day began with a musical performance by young instrumentalists, followed by opening speeches from the Mayor of Valongo, the Vice-Mayor, and several municipal councilors, including those responsible for youth affairs. Following the official opening, the Oxford Debate started, facilitated by Mari and João from the Portuguese team. Mari and João explained to the youngsters how the Oxford debate will go, as well as the positions each team will defend.
After much deliberation from the audience, which were youngsters of Valongo, ultimately the opposition won. Which means the team who argues that whether technology exists or not, there is still a need to move to bigger cities.
The festival continued until lunch time with booths selling traditional Portuguese items, as well as different youth groups and organizations who focus on different aspects, such as solidarity, theatre, arts and international projects. There was also an ongoing instrumental group named "Canções de Outrora", translated to Songs of Yesteryear.
After lunch break, the music continued with 3 youth bands from Portugal, featuring the youth bands of "Tango", "IDAREYOUAGAIN" and "COUTO4580".
..and with that, the YOUth Events of Cities 4 Youth comes to an end! 🏁
The YOUth Event in Valongo marked the final international mobility and the culmination of the Cities 4 YOUth project journey. Over the course of the project, young people, youth workers, municipal representatives, and local stakeholders from six European municipalities came together to exchange ideas, share good practices, and explore innovative ways to strengthen youth participation in local decision-making.
The event in Portugal served as a celebration of everything achieved throughout the project. Participants reflected on the experiences, knowledge, and friendships built during previous meetings, while also discovering inspiring examples of youth engagement implemented by the Municipality of Valongo. Through workshops, intercultural activities, study visits, and the Oxford Debate during the Youth Festival, participants demonstrated the skills, confidence, and active citizenship competences that the project sought to develop.
One of the most valuable outcomes of Cities 4 YOUth has been the creation of a strong international network connecting young people, municipalities, youth councils, and organizations across Europe. The project has shown that when young people are given meaningful opportunities to participate, they can contribute innovative ideas and play an active role in shaping more democratic, inclusive, and sustainable communities.
Although Valongo was the final event hosted within the partner municipalities, it does not represent the end of the Cities 4 YOUth journey. The knowledge, methodologies, partnerships, and youth-led initiatives developed throughout the project will continue to inspire future actions at local and European levels. The final gathering in Valongo was therefore not only a conclusion, but also a starting point for future cooperation, ensuring that the project's legacy and impact will continue long after the official activities have been completed.
