Utopia project in the six best projects in the European Union

On December 4th, the Rural and Agricultural Inspiration Awards (ARIA Awards 2024) ceremony took place in Brussels. Plako's Utopia Space was among the six best projects in the Environmental Protection category, along with initiatives from Italy, Slovenia, Spain, and Finland.

To represent the project and Póvoa de Lanhoso, Moisés Campos, mentor of Espaço Utopia, took the statue of Maria da Fonte, a historical symbol of Póvoa de Lanhoso and the popular revolt of 1846. The statue represents Espaço Utopia's objective of being the instigator of changing habits, of the greatest number of people, towards the environment.

During his speech, Moisés Campos also highlighted the importance of adopting more sustainable agricultural practices, highlighting organic farming. The ARIA Awards ceremony was broadcast online and brought together the 24 finalist projects from across the European Union, as well as representatives from the European Commission and European Associations.

Espaço Utopia, located in Águas Santas in Póvoa de Lanhoso, was one of the three finalist Portuguese projects in this 6th edition of the ARIA Awards, which was marked by being the edition with the most popular votes recorded, reaching more than 14 thousand votes from the public.

Watch the ARIA Awards ceremony here.