Manifesto ‘for the public space’

‘Amigos d’Avenida’, a group of citizens from Aveiro (Portugal) concerned with the
future of their city, invites every person and institution to debate and develop
initiatives that contribute to the development “regeneration, entertainment and
artistic policies for the public space”. This document proposes ten intervention
principles:

‘Bring people to the streets’

1 Motivate the regular use of public spaces by its population, giving them
the opportunity to know their city and promote an active participation in
the entertainment and artistic activities in the public space.
‘Promote a bond with the public space’

2 Promote the use of public spaces by the population and social and
cultural institutions to develop a feeling of belonging with the city and
the community.
‘Stimulate social interaction’

3 Create the necessary conditions for the public space to rise as a

collective and interactive space for people from different social,
economic and age contexts.
‘Promote diversified, artistic and cultural activities in the public space’

4 Support activities directed toward different persons and interests,

contributing to the sustainability of day-to-day space functions, resulting
in the enjoyment of the different users and to the diversity of uses.
‘Create an experimentation environment’

5 Promote activities that motivate new development of experimental

cultural and artistic activities in public spaces based on existing local
resources.
‘Value the memory of the city’

6 Share the history of the city and region by sharing historic events,
organizing historic information and developing entertainment and
artistic activities in public space, contributing to valuing its memory and
identity.
‘Build a sense of social responsibility in entertainment and artistic

7 activities of public space’

Promote the sense of responsibility towards entertainment and artistic
activities in public spaces by the citizens and cultural agents.
‘Use public space as a vehicle of communication and promotion of

8 artistic, cultural and scientific activities’

Use public space to promote artistic, cultural and scientific activities
benefiting from Aveiro’s technologic research and development.
‘Guarantee an inclusive public space with adequate urban equipment’

9 Assure an adequate use of existing resources to create and maintain

inclusive, clean public spaces, with adequate infrastructure, accessible to
all citizens.
'Assure an integrated public space network'

10 Guarantee a continuous, structured network of public space and an

organized schedule between its design and activities.

AMIGOS D’AVENIDA, AVEIRO (http://amigosdavenida.blogs.sapo.pt/ )

Sign for the Manifesto sending your name, profession, locality and email (optional) to
amigosdavenida@gmail.com