The Leixões of the Memories

Based on the municipal social diagnosis, we found that the parishes of Matosinhos and Leça da Palmeira, and particularly the Bairro dos Pescadores, present as main vulnerabilities: high rates of unemployment, low levels of education and family income. These vulnerabilities frequently generate feelings of incapacity/ devaluation and low self-esteem/social uselessness that, in the medium and long term, materialise in situations of exclusion/marginalisation and social isolation. Seeking to mitigate these fragilities, the project starts from the strong identity dimension of the neighbourhood, based on the maritime/fishing culture, and its socio-cultural manifestations, and on the history of Leixões Club. It aims to mobilize and enhance the knowledge, experiences, resources, stories and memories of residents, often invisible and stigmatized, strengthening the sense of community, activating the cultural/social capital and combating the identified social weaknesses.