The NATURELAB EU Project had its opening ceremony on June 28th, 2023 at Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil – LNEC’s Congress Centre in Lisbon. Dedicated to nature-based interventions (NBI) for improving health and well-being, the event was a resounding success, having counted with the participation of more than 80 attendees.
This ceremony marked the beginning of a 54-month journey towards a greener and healthier future, comprising the recognition, promotion and use of green and blue infrastructures as healthcare providers, and delving into the investigation of the benefits of nature-based therapies (NBT) to promote well-being and support health prevention & rehabilitation.
With a strong focus on sustainable development and nature protection, the project aims to provide solid contributions to environmental sciences, simultaneously covering social aspects (including the creation of new green jobs) by introducing mixed-methods and experimentations that will contribute to public and environmental health. Thus, NATURELAB NBT programmes will contribute to more resilient communities, as the resilience to climate change, the promotion of biodiversity and urban water management, and addressing as well air pollution and noise levels.
After the registration and reception of the participants, the event was flavoured with a musical performance by Sara Martins and Rui Balão that sought to interpret the sounds of Nature through the violin and the guitar, paving the ground to what the NATURELAB project intends to bring as an innovative approach to how communities connect with Nature. The ceremony, then, included a warm welcoming and an insight to the project’s storyline by Ana Estela Barbosa from LNEC, followed by a set of compelling overviews on the following topics:
- Nature and Health in Cities, by Eduardo Quinta Nova (Sintra City Councillor)
- The EU Research & Innovation programme 2021-2027, by Patrizia Tenerelli (NATURELAB Project Office)
- The importance of the Nature and Health nexus, by Paola Lepori (Policy Officer – Biodiversity & Nature-based Solutions at the European Commission).
The event ended with gripping messages from the NATURELAB International Collaborative Board speakers Maria João Figueiras, Nevin Harper and Eliseth João.
We kindly invite you to watch this marvellous ceremony video here.
