The initiative, promoted in partnership with the University of Minho and held at the Aquanatur Palace, featured researchers, specialists, and professionals from various fields. The event served as a space for reflection and sharing, fostering closer ties between the scientific community and society.
Over two days, crucial topics for the present and future were addressed, including Mental Health, Artificial Intelligence, Addictions, Longevity, Medicine and Arts, Biodiversity, Space and Satellites, and Territory and Society. The multidisciplinary approach aimed to disseminate knowledge and debate contemporary challenges.
The President of the Chaves Municipal Chamber, Nuno Vaz, highlighted the importance of creating opportunities to connect science, the community, and the territory. He argued that knowledge and innovation are fundamental instruments for valuing human resources and qualifying local stakeholders. "Through knowledge, we want to value our human resources and qualify our assets, whether they are companies, people, or institutions," stated the mayor, emphasizing the significance of promoting such initiatives outside major urban centers.
The 4th Maria Alves Paiva Science Encounter thus reinforced the importance of creating spaces for dialogue between science and society, valuing knowledge as a tool for development, participation, and building responses to the challenges and opportunities of territories.
