The municipality of Vila Nova de Famalicão was awarded the title of "Sports Friendly Municipality" for the seventh year running, after also achieving the status of "Active Municipality" for the first time, by the Portuguese Sports Management Association (APOGESD) on 23 November.
"We're a municipality that 'breathes' sport (...) we're fully committed to promoting physical activity and implementing policies to develop the practice of sport, which are essential aspects for ensuring a better quality of life for the people of Famalicão," said the Mayor, Mário Passos, on the subject of the awards.
The revalidation of the "Sports Friendly Municipality" award, which recognises the policies and investments of Portuguese municipalities in favour of physical activity and sports development, took place this Monday at a ceremony held at the Casa das Artes in Felgueiras.
The distinction, established in 2016 by Cidade Social, an online information platform that aims to help improve the intervention of Portuguese municipalities in the areas of Sport, Youth and Education, was awarded as a result of a number of arguments put forward by the Famalicense municipality, including the free sports activity programmes implemented for the population ("Famalicão in Shape", "More and Better Years", " Move yourself ", “Healthy Mothers”, among others), as well as policies to support federated athletes, sports associations and groups, continuous investment in modernising and maintaining the municipality's sports facilities, promoting children's motor skills and organising multiple sporting events.
This year, Famalicão has been awarded the title of "Active Municipality" along with the distinction of "Sports Friendly Municipality", awarded by APOGESD at the XXIV National Congress of Sports Management, which took place in the municipality of Póvoa de Varzim. The official launch of the Active Municipalities Programme took place on November 23 and the initiative has three dozen founding municipalities, including Vila Nova de Famalicão.
The Active Municipalities Programme, a pioneer in the country, aims to certify local public policies and initiatives in the field of physical activity and sport, with the founding municipalities committing to work and cooperate over the next 12 months in order to boost physical activity rates in their territory and promote an active local culture that fosters healthier and more sustainable communities.
