RUN Project: Naturalised Urban Rivers

Spotify

The international initiative RUN — Naturalised Urban Rivers brings together 15 partners from eight Ibero-American countries, including Portugal, Brazil and Spain, and is funded by the CITET programme. Based on co-creation practices and the articulation between science, technology and community engagement, the project aims to regenerate urban river ecosystems, reclaiming their ecological, symbolic and social value.

In Portugal, RUN is being developed by Lusófona University and LNEC, with a case study focused on the Ribeira das Jardas stream in Cacém. This site became the stage for educational and awareness-raising activities, through the convergence of the RUN project and the CIDES project, which is focused on reconnecting children with the natural environment. This partnership led to the creation of the subproject River Child, which was awarded the 2024 Innovative Pedagogical Practice Prize by Lusófona University, standing out for its interdisciplinary approach and social impact.

Activities included workshops, field visits, and collective mapping with university students and children aged between 3 and 5, whose symbolic representations of rivers revealed a sensitive perception of nature in the urban context.

The project culminated in an exhibition in Lisbon and the development of a set of practical recommendations for municipalities, researchers and civil society organisations. The key conclusion emphasises that there is no need to create new rivers, but rather to develop cities that are more aware of the importance of the rivers that already exist.

Production
Ana Azevedo

Photography
Cristo Chikale

Editing
Cristo Chikale

Reporter
Catarina Castanheira

Article
Filipa Cavém