VRSA aims to “continue being capital of sports and champions”
Vila Real de Santo António Council and the Olympic Committee of Portugal have signed a protocol in which they vow to work together to promote sports and “Olympic values.”
Local mayor Álvaro Araújo has celebrated the partnership as recognition of the “excellence” of the borough’s High Performance Centre and the “daily work to promote the quality of sports in the municipality.”
“We are and want to continue being the capital of sports and of champions, based on the Olympic Education Programme’s values which are excellence, respect and friendship,” Araújo said.
José Manuel Constantino, president of the national Olympic Committee, said that the protocol is part of a wider national goal to get local councils involved in the Olympic Education Programme, which aims to allow schoolchildren to learn about the “Olympic message.”
He also praised VRSA for joining the initiative as well as “the longevity of the High Performance Centre of VRSA and its constant search for top national and international athletes”.
The protocol signing ceremony was also attended by the regional director of the Portuguese Sports and Youth Institute (IPDJ), Custódio Moreno; VRSA deputy mayor, Ricardo Cipriano; and the director of the department of Education and Olympic Memory, Rita Nunes, who presented the Olympic Education Programme.
The programme was created in 2015 and is already promoted in 281 schools by 921 teachers amongst nearly 209,000 students.
Olympic athlete Ana Cabecinha honoured
Olympic athlete Ana Cabecinha, an Algarve native living in Vila Real de Santo António, was honoured at the ceremony with a Finalist Diploma for her performance in the 20km walk at the London 2012 Olympic Games, where he finished sixth.
The distinction was handed to the athlete by Álvaro Araújo and Manuel Constantino.
