On November 7th and 8th, Sabugal hosted another edition of Naturcôa – Imagem, Natureza e Património, a weekend dedicated to photography, artistic creation, territorial discovery, and knowledge sharing. The Conference Cycle registered 143 registrations and 126 attendees, a particularly positive turnout, especially considering a significant portion of the audience travels from coastal regions to Sabugal.
Saturday's program featured presentations by Mário Cunha, Duarte Belo, Tânia Araújo, Filipe Morato Gomes, and Marina Cano, who shared diverse experiences, perspectives, and ways of looking at photography, landscape, nature, and heritage at the Municipal Auditorium. The presentation of works from the artistic residency ‘Sabugal, ao ritmo da paisagem’, by Luís Afonso, was marked by a touching moment involving the photographer's daughter.
Naturcôa also provided space for younger audiences through discovery, creativity, and nature contact activities, led by CERVAS, Vitamina Natureza, Marta Carvalho, and Inês Correia. On Sunday, the event moved outdoors with three experiences: the Nature Interpretive Walk – Biodiversity and green giants, the Photographic Walk – Sabugal, at the rhythm of the landscape, and the Wild Mushroom Walk and Workshop – Discovering the universe of fungi. All activities were sold out and had complete waiting lists.
Cultural heritage held a prominent place, including a guided tour of the Ruins of Sabugal Velho, led by archaeologist Marcos Osório, offering participants a closer connection with the territory's history. Sunday also included a lunch in Aldeia Velha, bringing together participants and facilitators for a moment of conviviality. The Municipality of Sabugal expressed gratitude to the local Parish Council for their essential support.
The assessment of this edition is very positive. Public participation, demand for activities, and the involvement of speakers, facilitators, teams, and collaborating entities reinforce Naturcôa as a meeting space for image, nature, and heritage. From this year onwards, Naturcôa – Imagem, Natureza e Património will be held biennially, alternating with Naturcôa – Aves e Património. The next edition of this strand is scheduled for May 15th and 16th, 2027.
