TUI Colourful Cultures Lisbon

The city of Lisbon is now a leading European city break destination with its strong cultural offering, food scene and sunny weather. However, its rapid expansion has profoundly transformed the city's commercial fabric. Authentic, locally produced goods are being replaced with industrialised merchandise that is often of lower quality and has a considerably negative environmental impact. Traditional commerce, once a genuine reflection of Portuguese culture, is in decline, increasingly replaced by imported products that disregard sustainable and ethical practices in both production and packaging. This issue not only affects cultural identity but also the environmental and economic sustainability of the city.

TUI Colourful Cultures Lisbon addresses this challenge by implementing a one-year educational programme on sustainable design. Products prototyped and produced during the training are showcased each month in exhibition events open to the public. The project combines education, empowerment and the creation of a collaborative community of practice to support the growth of sustainably produced local crafts that showcase Portuguese traditions and culture.

Although the citizens of Lisbon are increasingly aware of ecological concerns, the city faces two practical gaps. One of them is understanding how to integrate sustainable design into daily life, both in terms of production and consumption. The other is how to access this knowledge in a financially accessible manner for working-age individuals who require professional qualification and training.

TUI Colourful Cultures Lisbon directly addresses this through its one-year course on sustainable design. The course is divided into 12 monthly modules with a 42-hour curriculum. At least 115 participants take part in modules that address different areas within sustainable design topics such as natural and artisanal fabric dying, sustainable packaging and eco-friendly interior designing. One of the modules focuses on the potential connections of the tourism industry with sustainable design. Here, students learn how to develop sustainable tourism experiences while integrating local culture as well as ecological practices. It places emphasis on environmental impact management in the tourism sector and how to engage tourists in sustainability, emphasizing Portugal’s cultural heritage and sustainable tourism initiatives.

Each module foresees a minimum of five tuition-free “solidarity spots” which are offered to young mothers or unemployed individuals. 25 social organisations in the Lisbon area are connected with the programme to ensure that these solidarity spots are taken by those who most need them.

At the end of each module, a showcase event is organised to present the products created by the students to the public. In total, 20 events are held through the programme. In addition to the showcase events for each module, the students can also go on study trips to explore sustainable design best practice in Portugal. They also attend a final design fair event with around 1,000 visitors, showcasing their creations made throughout the programme.

Project Partner

Project Partner

Escola do Largo is a part of AdmirávelReino, an association dedicated to artistic creation. They believe that art is essential for political reflection, where artists and the public engage in questioning fundamental issues of the contemporary world. Over recent years, the association has focused on migration issues, which they consider a critical challenge to address so that the space they inhabit aligns with the principles governing universal human rights. Admirável Reino manages two key programmes: Escola do Largo, a space dedicated to programming, training, and artistic creation; and the Centro Internacional de Dramaturgia (CID), an organisation focused on developing Portuguese dramaturgy and ensuring the representation of all social groups in Portuguese theatre.

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