The Municipality of Lagos was distinguished with three awards at the IV Social City Congress, which took place on October 1 and 2 in Lagoa and Portimão. The event gathered around 400 participants from across the country, including mayors, leaders, municipal technicians, and specialists.
The projects Office for Support to the Elderly (GAPI), Municipal Senior Council, and the project “Entre Nós Mulheres” (Among Us Women) received the 2026 Municipal Excellence Awards. These distinctions recognize projects and good practices by Portuguese municipalities that positively impact communities.
The three distinctions reflect the diversity of Lagos Municipality's social intervention, covering support for the senior population, promotion of civic participation, gender equality, empowerment, and the creation of reflection spaces for women.
The Office for Support to the Elderly provides personalized support to individuals aged 65 and over, offering information, clarification, referrals, and mediation with various entities, complemented by home visits and telephone support for those in greater vulnerability or isolation.
The Municipal Senior Council plays a significant role in the participation of the older population in the life of the municipality, promoting consultation and involvement of seniors in reflecting on municipal policies and responses. Established in 2014, this structure has been developing outreach work and initiatives for this demographic.
The project “Entre Nós Mulheres” has established itself as a meeting and reflection space on various topics related to the female condition, equality, health, relationships, identity, and social participation. Throughout 2026, the project has promoted several open sessions for the community, addressing themes such as nutrition, sexuality, gender, and rights.
The recognition of these projects signifies the acknowledgment of continuous municipal work, closely connected with people, valuing responses that promote a more participatory, inclusive community attentive to different life stages and realities.
The IV Social City Congress also served as a space for sharing and reflecting on policies and practices developed by Portuguese municipalities, facilitating contact between different experiences and solutions implemented nationally. The 2026 edition also featured the presentation of best practices in areas such as Sports, Social Action, Education, Youth, Culture, Tourism, Health, and Civil Protection.
For the Municipality of Lagos, these three awards represent recognition of the work carried out by municipal teams and local partners in building close-to-home social responses, reinforcing the importance of public policies centered on people and the improvement of their quality of life.
