MUNICIPALITY OF MATOSINHOS JOINS THE NETWORK OF PARTICIPATORY LOCAL AUTHORITIES

The Municipality of Matosinhos is the newest member of the Network of Participatory Local Authorities (RAP), reinforcing the municipality’s commitment to promoting public participation, active citizenship, and closer relations between the Municipality and its residents.

With this membership, Matosinhos joins Portugal’s leading national network of local authorities dedicated to promoting participatory democracy, becoming part of a space for cooperation, knowledge-sharing, capacity-building, and the recognition of good practices in public participation.

Joining RAP reflects the Municipality of Matosinhos’ commitment to further strengthening the work it has been developing in the field of citizen participation, namely through its Participatory Budgeting process and other initiatives promoted by the municipality, seeking to reinforce listening, engagement, and citizen follow-up in local public decisions.

“In Matosinhos, we believe that the best decisions are built with people’s participation. Listening to residents, creating opportunities for them to take part, and ensuring that they can follow the implementation of decisions are principles that we have been strengthening through Participatory Budgeting and other participation processes promoted by the Municipality.

It was with this commitment that we decided to join the Network of Participatory Local Authorities. We aim to become part of a community of municipalities that shares knowledge and experiences on public participation, valuing the path Matosinhos has been developing and keeping up with new methodologies and good practices. We are certain that this collaboration will help us continue to improve our participatory processes and strengthen the closeness between the Municipality and its residents,” says Councillor Nuno Matos.

RAP welcomes the Municipality of Matosinhos as a new member, recognising the importance of expanding the Network to include local authorities committed to improving the quality of public participation and strengthening local democracy.

Created in 2014, the Network of Participatory Local Authorities brings together municipalities and parishes from different regions of the country, promoting the sharing of experiences, capacity-building for technical teams and political decision-makers, knowledge production, and the recognition of good practices in public participation.

With Matosinhos joining the Network, RAP strengthens its presence across the national territory and consolidates its role as a collaborative platform serving local authorities that seek to involve citizens more effectively and meaningfully in local democratic life.