The “Ativa-TE!” project, which is the result of a partnership between the Polytechnic of Setúbal (IPS) and the cultural association Festroia, was this year the initiative distinguished by the Portuguese Association of Business Ethics (APEE), within the scope of the 9th edition of the Recognition of Practices in Social Responsibility and Sustainability (RPRSS).
The award, presented yesterday at a ceremony held at Casa do Alentejo, in Lisbon, recognizes the good practices of the higher education institution within the scope of Axis II – Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), namely in the Quality Education category (SDG 4), which has already happened in previous editions, in 2020 and 2022.
Centred on cinema as an important vehicle for raising awareness about the SDGs, the “Ativa-TE!” project, aimed at IPS students and the surrounding community, started in 2021, as an integral part of the CLIT Festival – Cinema in Unusual and Temporary Locations, passing subsequently the autonomous activity. In addition to film screenings, the program also includes debates with experts and representatives of civil society structures, and/or conversations with directors and actors.
As its name suggests, the project aims to “activate” students, as well as society as a whole, to reflect and act on issues as pressing as the protection of the oceans, mental health, women’s rights and of the LGBT community, racism, decent work, climate action, Artificial Intelligence, agroecology and food, education, inclusion, animal protection and reproductive health, among others.
To date, “Ativa-TE!” has already held 18 thematic sessions on the ground, with a total of 64 films shown, associated with 21 debates, 17 conversations with artists, two scientific lectures, two board game sessions, a testimonial session, a visual arts exhibition and a butt collection action.
For Carlos Mata, vice-president of IPS responsible for Sustainability and Social Responsibility, the APEE award recognizes, once again, “IPS’s commitment to education and awareness through art as a way of mobilizing its academic community and engaging environment for more socially and environmentally responsible behaviours, thus contributing, at scale, to a more sustainable world”.
Promoted by APEE since 2015, the RPRSS awards distinguish the “implementation of good governance policies and models in organizations in the public and private sectors, for-profit and non-profit, that create value for their stakeholders and actively contribute to sustainable development”. The initiative’s partners include AIP -Portuguese Industrial Association, Aliança ODS Portugal, CCP-Confederação do Comércio e Serviços de Portugal, Fundação Montepio, IAPMEI and United Nations Global Compact Network Portugal.
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