The city of Guimarães served as the venue for the 2028 European Green Capital and European Green Leaf Awards ceremony, an event organized by the European Commission that gathered over 100 international representatives and experts. The designation of Zaragoza (Spain) as the European Green Capital 2028, and of Estarreja (Portugal) and Benidorm (Spain) with the European Green Leaf award, marked the culmination of a European program held in Guimarães from October 7th to 9th.
The event reinforced Guimarães's international profile as European Green Capital 2026, promoting the sharing of best practices and cooperation for a more sustainable future. The awards aim to recognize the work of cities in transforming environmental practices into concrete actions to improve quality of life and build a sustainable future.
“"I believe that we can only achieve our goals, we can only build a more sustainable city, a more sustainable world, a city and a planet, if we manage to involve our citizens."
At the opening of the ceremony, the Mayor of Guimarães, Ricardo Araújo, emphasized citizen involvement as essential for the success of public policies and the creation of sustainable cities. He highlighted that the European Green Capital title represents a mission of continuity, commitment, and collective participation, expressing pride in the journey with the community and the aspiration to maintain Guimarães as a benchmark for quality of life in Europe. Araújo also stressed the importance of cooperation among municipalities, citizens, businesses, and civil society organizations, stating: "We cannot make this journey alone, because together we are not afraid to imagine our future!"
Patrick Child, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Environment, praised Guimarães's trajectory and its environmental commitment in areas such as biodiversity and sustainable mobility. He noted the city's ability to engage citizens and transform environmental strategy into shared responsibility, emphasizing that the awards aim to build a community of pioneers through European cooperation to address challenges like extreme heat, water scarcity, and climate change.
“"Guimarães, this is your year, but your entire journey has reflected a brilliant environmental commitment."
Zaragoza was chosen as the European Green Capital 2028 from five finalists, including Porto. Estarreja and Benidorm received the European Green Leaf award, intended for smaller cities. The event, held from October 7th to 9th, reaffirmed the common mission to make sustainability a lasting commitment with real impact on people's lives, following Guimarães (2026) and preceding Heilbronn (2027) and Zaragoza (2028).
