In October, the University of Minho is developing a heritage education programme dedicated to the fortified landscapes of the Gerês-Xurés Transboundary Biosphere Reserve and the remains associated with the Portuguese Restoration War (1640–1668).

Coordinated by Rebeca Blanco-Rotea, the project brings together an interdisciplinary UMinho team comprising researchers in Archaeology (Helena Carvalho and Diego Machado), Architecture (Jorge Correia), History (Alexandra Esteves), and Heritage Education (Maria Glória Solé). The project will be developed by the University of Minho’s Archaeology Unit and Lab2PT.

 

The initiative is part of the Gerês-Xurés Máis Sustentable programme, promoted by the Provincial Council of Ourense and co-funded by Interreg VI Spain–Portugal. Its main objective is to bring this heritage closer to school communities, promoting heritage education, citizen science, and cultural sustainability. Activities will be carried out in Galician and Portuguese schools, alongside the production of a bilingual teaching unit, interpretive panels, and a digital guide, seeking to engage younger generations in the understanding, appreciation, and conservation of this cross-border heritage.

 

Participantes: Rebeca Blanco-Rotea (ICS/Lab2PT/IN2PAST/UMinho), Jorge Correia (EAAD/Lab2PT/IN2PAST/UMinho), Helena Carvalho (ICS/Lab2PT/IN2PAST/UMinho), Alexandra Esteves (ICS/Lab2PT/IN2PAST/UMinho), Diego Machado (ICS/Lab2PT/IN2PAST/UMinho), Maria Glória Solé (Escola de Educação/UMinho)

Prommoting institutions: Programa Interreg VI A España-Portugal (POCTEP) 2021-2027), Deputación Provincial de Ourense

News item: HERE