Município do Fundão promove “Climate for All Festival” dedicado à ação climática e comunidades rurais

The “Climate Action for All Festival”, held on 25 March 2026 in Fundão (Portugal), was organised within the framework of the ConnAct – EU Networks of Towns project.
The event brought together European partners, local stakeholders and citizens to explore inclusive and community-based approaches to climate action in rural territories.
The programme combined keynote speeches, interactive sessions, site visits and panel discussions. It began with an opening session by the Mayor of the Municipality of Fundão, followed by a keynote presentation from the EU Horizon TRANSPATH project on food systems transformation across different contexts.
Throughout the day, participants engaged in interactive sessions on food literacy and sustainability, as well as practical case studies presented by local organisations and initiatives. These included topics such as sustainable local production, circular economy practices (turning waste into value), and rural innovation and entrepreneurship.
A guided visit to the “Quinta Ciência Viva das Cerejas e das Ideias” further connected participants with the local context and ongoing projects in the territory.
The event concluded with a panel discussion focused on “Women Across Generations: Building the Future Together”, highlighting the role of women in sustainability and rural development, followed by a networking moment with a local food experience.
Overall, the event successfully fostered dialogue, knowledge exchange and collaboration between European and local actors, reinforcing the importance of inclusive, community-driven and locally grounded approaches to climate action.

 

Key learnings from the event include:
● the importance of food systems transformation as a driver for climate action;

● the role of food literacy and awareness in promoting sustainable practices;
● the relevance of local innovation and circular economy approaches;

● the value of hands-on experiences and place-based learning (e.g. site visit);

● and the importance of women’s empowerment and intergenerational dialogue in rural sustainability.

 

Feedback collected from participants after the event confirms a high level of satisfaction, particularly regarding the relevance of the topics addressed and the
overall organisation.
Participants highlighted the strong connection between theory and practice, as well as the diversity of perspectives represented. Notably, all respondents agreed that women and elderly people were adequately represented, reinforcing the inclusive dimension of the event.
In addition, most participants indicated that the event increased their awareness of sustainable practices and that they see potential to apply some of the ideas discussed in their own communities.

PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK AND IMPACT
A feedback survey was conducted after the event, gathering responses from international participants.
The results indicate a very positive overall evaluation, with most participants rating the event highly in terms of relevance, content and organisation. 75% of respondents confirmed that different voices were represented, while 100% agreed that women and elderly people were adequately included.

In terms of impact, participants reported increased awareness of sustainable practices, and the majority expressed interest in applying the ideas presented in their own local
contexts.

 

TARGET GROUPS
The event gathered a diverse audience including:
● representatives of public authorities
● NGOs and civil society organisations
● researchers and project partners
● local entrepreneurs and producers
The inclusion of both international participants and local stakeholders ensured a strong exchange between policy, practice and community-level perspectives.

 

DURATION OF THE EVENT(S)
The event took place over one full day (25 March 2026), including travel and networking moments.

 

INFORMATION REGARDING THE GENDER DISTRIBUTION (FEMALE, MALE, NON-BINARY)

This event had 36 participants (27 women and 9 men). The event ensured a balanced gender representation among participants and speakers, with a strong emphasis on women’s participation.

INFORMATION REGARDING THE COUNTRIES OF RESIDENCE
6 countries were represented on this workshop:
1. Portugal: 27
2. Greece: 1
3. Italy: 2
4. Czech Republic: 2
5. Germany: 2
6. The Netherlands: 1

 

I.A: FURTHER OUTPUTS AND MATERIALS CREATED
● Event agenda
● Presentation materials
● Feedback survey and results
● Communication materials