24 Aug Building the future together: the Rio Minho Urban Agendas move towards the Citizens’ Participation Days
The AECT Rio Minho is moving forward with the development of the Urban Agendas for the Eurocidade do Minho and the Eurocidade da Foz do Minho, within the framework of the REDE_GOV_MINHO – Cross-border Rio Minho Governance Network project, co-funded by the Interreg VI-A Spain–Portugal Programme (POCTEP) 2021–2027.
The Urban Agendas are strategic planning instruments aimed at building a shared vision for these cross-border territories, combining an analysis of their socioeconomic, environmental and territorial dimensions with an ongoing process of participation and collaborative governance.
The process covers two areas of cooperation: the Eurocidade do Minho, comprising Arbo, A Caniza, Crecente, As Neves and Melgaço, and the Eurocidade da Foz do Minho, comprising Caminha, A Guarda and O Rosal.
From diagnosis to action
During June, an initial participatory phase was carried out to identify the main challenges and opportunities facing these territories and to complement the technical analysis.
In the Eurocidade do Minho, participatory sessions were held in A Cañiza, Arbo and Melgaço, focusing on areas including culture, sport, mobility, the environment, the economy and tourism.
In the Eurocidade da Foz do Minho, the process took place in O Rosal, Caminha and A Guarda, addressing issues related to the economy, mobility, culture, sport, tourism and the river economy.
Following the completion of the respective Analysis and Diagnosis Reports, the process is now entering a new phase focused on defining the Strategic Framework and Action Plan, which will translate the challenges identified into objectives, lines of action and concrete proposals for each territory.
Citizens at the heart of the next phase
The next step will be the Citizens’ Participation Days, planned for the week of 6–9 October 2026.
These meetings will provide open spaces for listening, dialogue and participation, where the main findings of the diagnosis will be shared and the proposed interventions resulting from the work carried out so far will be discussed.
The aim is to gather contributions, identify priorities and bring the proposals closer to the needs and expectations of the people who live and participate in these territories, strengthening the participatory dimension of the Urban Agendas. This second stage of participation is an integral part of the methodology and is designed to validate and prioritise the proposed actions.
The specific dates, venues and programme for the different meetings will be announced shortly, once coordination with the participating municipalities has been completed.
Stronger Together: citizen participation and cross-border cooperation
The Citizens’ Participation Days of the Rio Minho Urban Agendas are among the initiatives through which the AECT Rio Minho is taking part in Interreg Cooperation Day 2026, which this year celebrates its 15th anniversary under the theme “Stronger Together”.
The initiative highlights a form of cooperation that takes shape directly within the territory: municipalities on both sides of the border sharing challenges, listening to citizens and working together to define priorities and proposals for the future of their Eurocities.
