The 'Sharing with Energy' program - an EDP Produção educational project - brought together more than 320 students and teachers on Facebook to present and discuss initiatives focusing on the development of their regions. Over the past week, 'Connect Yourself' was the meeting point for 15 schools from 15 municipalities across the country, marking the end of the 4th edition of this educational project.

Held by EDP Produção, the 'Sharing with Energy' program has been challenging students aged 15 to 19 to explore and creatively promote the finest things offered by the regions where the company's production centers are located - from heritage to food, from culture and ecology to landscapes. This edition, which kicked off in September 2019, retained the same goal, with young students being presented with four challenges throughout the school year. In the end, they would have to share a traditional recipe, a tourist route, a social activity, or a quiz about the region.

The results of these assignments were now presented during 'Connect Yourself' - a virtual meeting that replaced the inter-school interactions that usually take place between April and June, and which were suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the closing of schools. These face-to-face meetings may still be held in conjunction with the teams that will join the project in the next school year.

Besides offering an opportunity for students and teachers to present and discuss their projects, 'Connect Yourself' also sought to provide the 'Sharing with Energy' community with a space for socializing and entertainment. The event featured several conversations in an interview format, which included the popular math Youtuber Mathgurl, former futsal player João Benedito, and several entrepreneurs. In between there were also performances by rapper Cálculo and the band Os Quatro e Meia.

Promote regional identities

'Sharing with Energy' is an innovative project launched by EDP Produção in 2016. Besides fostering the development of social and relational skills among high school and professional education students (aged 15 to 19), this initiative also seeks to cultivate proximity and interaction in the regions where EDP energy production centers are located.

In this 2019/2020 edition the interactions involved schools from municipalities that host by EDP Produção centers - Cávado-Lima, Douro, Tejo-Mondego, Lares, Ribatejo, and Sines. This project thus allows EDP to materialize one of the pillars of its strategy, which aims to support local communities and encourage the development and promotion of these regions among young people from other areas. It also intends to create a sense of identity in young people by promoting the best things their regions have to offer and encouraging active citizenship attitudes.

'Sharing with Energy', which started as a pilot project back in 2014, was officially launched with the 2016-2017 edition. Since then, it has impacted more than 3,000 people across the country and involved the implementation of several projects in communities located close to the company's production centers - projects such as a garden for Santa Casa da Misericórdia in Constância, collecting donations for an association in Tomar, or the organization of cultural activities, among many others.

To find out what has been done in recent editions, visit the 'Sharing with Energy' website.