SCHOOL PROJECT WINS INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

COMPETITION PROMOTED BY THE ILÍDIO PINHO FOUNDATION

The idea behind the creation of the "Seismological Box" prototype arose from the pedagogical experience with pre-school children, the interest and motivation of children for scientific and experimental activities, and the lack of educational resources to explain the earthquakes to children.
The winning project included the contribution of the Instituto Dom Luiz (Luis Matias and José Luis Duarte), with the support of the European Center for Urban Risks (CERU), Science4you and the Municipal Civil Protection Service of Sintra. In the elaboration of one of the contents, the help of the "Energy Workshops" animated by the students of the Geographic Engineering, Geophysics and Energy Department of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, was fundamental.
The educational project was developed in the 2016/17 school year and involved the 153 children of the seven pre-school education rooms, Jardim de Infância do Cacém no. 1, EB1 / JI de Vale Mourão and EB1 de Ribeiro de Carvalho (in Sintra county). The team was formed by the seven childhood educators, the coordinator of the project 'Safety in the School and in the Community', by the 'Science in the School' Projects director and by the Projects representative in the Pedagogical Council of the school group.
It was a great challenge that made possible to "develop an innovative educational resource that materializes Earth and tectonic plates, reinforces the Knowledge of the World, brings children closer to Science and Technology, explores the Emergency Kit and promotes the desired behaviors in situations of risk", in the words of the promoters. They also add that "the children put all their goodwill and creative spirit. They gave wings to the imagination and created the constituents of the Emergency Kit, which served as the basis for the seven games of the Box. The innovative side of this prototype and the scientific and experimental matrix that characterize it are an asset for children and their educators".
In a ceremony held in Coimbra, the 1st Prize was awarded to the educator Diva Carvalho, coordinator of the Project, by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, in the presence of Ilídio Pinho (president of the Foundation), Minister of Education Tiago Brandão Rodrigues, the mayor of Coimbra (and the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities), Manuel Machado, and the director of the School group, António Gouveia.

Award Ceremony and Project presentation

The first prize was delivered by the President of the Republic to the coordinator of the Project Diva Carvalho, in the presence of the Minister of Education, the president of the Ilídio Pinho Foundation, the mayor of Coimbra, and the director of the School group.

Lagos, April 3 and 4, 2017

WORKSHOP ON TSUNAMI RISK PREVENTION
IN HOTELS AND BEACH CONCESSIONS

A workshop on tsunami risk prevention for hotel and tourism facilities, as well as for establishments that have concessions on the beaches, was held in Lagos (Algarve), Portugal.
The workshop was attent by 46 people, including four international experts (from Puerto Rico, Morocco, Italy and Malta) that presented the measures implemented in other countries in the field of tsunami prevention in touristic coastal areas. Representatives from all the public entities that have some responsibility on the mitigation of the tsunami risk at the beach also attent the workshop: Municipal Civil Protection Services, Municipal political authorities, the National and Harbour Maritime Authority (AMN), the Algarve Touristic Council (RTA), the National Civil Protection (ANPC), the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) and the regional Red Cross (CVP). The workshop also gathered concerned citizens, lifeguards, one NGO dedicated to prevent drowning at the beach and to promote swimming skills among the school population and four participants representing the private sector working for one marina, a beach concession, an hotel and one nautical club. The conclusions and recommendations resulting from this workshop will improve the preparedness to accomplish the ultimate goal of promoting tsunami awareness and preparedness for the hotel managers and beach concessionaires.
The tsunami signaling, concerning tsunami warning, evacuation routes and concentration point, implemented in Praia da Batata (Lagos), was also evaluated. Recommendations to improve its visibility and applicability will be useful for the implementation of this type of signaling in other beaches.

The workshop is organized by CERU
with the support of Lagos Town Hall

See the vídeo on the CERU webpage gallery
http://www.ceru-europa.pt/en/galeria.php