On 20 March, 23 children and young people from the Santa Maria Rafaela Foundation's TASSE Project took part in a workshop on the Sustainable Development Goals at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa.

"It was a very enriching opportunity for us, as employees of the Universidade Católica, to have contact with the reality of these young people. To pass on some knowledge and open up horizons of hope!" comments Filipa Pires de Almeida, Coordinator of the Centre for Responsible Business and Leadership, a partner organisation of the UCP Social Responsibility Office in promoting this initiative.

In the session for 2nd and 3rd cycle students, it was possible to work on the various SDGs, identify concerns and present concrete initiatives to implement in the Quinta da Fonte da Prata neighbourhood. Hayamessel Guimarães, 11, one of the participants in this session for 2nd and 3rd graders says: "I really enjoyed the activity and found it very interesting".

Já Adelino Silva, monitor do TASSE-E9g acredita que a atividade “foi prova de que os jovens querem mudar o mundo e, com apenas uma caneta, folhas e ideias conseguem avançar para a mudança.”

Adelino Silva, a TASSE-E9g monitor, believes that the activity "was proof that young people want to change the world and, with just a pen, sheets of paper and ideas, they can move towards change."

The aim of this workshop at the Universidade Católica is to sensitise children and young people from vulnerable social backgrounds to the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals and to facilitate their first contact with higher education.

"I believe that this type of initiative renews the Universidade Católica Portuguesa's commitment to Social Responsibility," says Rita Paiva e Pona, the Rector's Advisor for Social Responsibility and coordinator of the organising body.

At the end of the activity, it was possible to hear the SDG Anthem, created by the Mafra Mais Sustentável Team, which is now a reference in the UN. The initiative was supported by Mafra City Council, which donated materials related to the theme, given to the participants.