Building cultural bridges to foster a more democratic and inclusive society: the case of the Alentejo (BRIDGES)

Abstract

This study reveals culture as an essential element of democracy. The Education at a Glance report placed Portugal in a critical position in terms of educational standards on the global stage, an issue directly linked to economic inequalities and access to education (OECD, 2026). The situation in Portugal’s poorest region, the Alentejo (non-coastal), is exacerbated by other difficulties such as poor transport links and low population density, which make it difficult to overcome structural inequalities. It is necessary to counteract the historical and economic inequalities in the Alentejo, which manifest as social and educational inequality.The “Ponte Cultural-BRIDGES” project proposes to act through culture to overcome these differences and promote inclusion among the most vulnerable groups. To this end, the project: 1) Begins with a review of the literature on these inequalities in areas affecting the fundamental rights of the most vulnerable groups (BRIDGES, 2026). 2) Carries out work on cultural agents and culture: data collection, surveys, mapping, interviews. 3) Promotes knowledge dissemination, reviews the latest international trends and explores forms of inclusion through art (BRIDGES, 2026). These complementary approaches highlighted the urgent need to implement strategic and investment measures to support small cultural organisations and existing historical associations in the Alentejo; to carry out initiatives through culture to support groups most vulnerable to inequality (women, people of colour, the poor, the elderly, those with neurodivergence, disabilities, and mental health conditions); develop stable support networks; promote visibility in communication, so as to integrate the region’s reality on an equal footing, taking into account its human, cultural and natural potential, highlighted by Évora’s Capital of Culture 2027