SoilTribes Consortium Meeting in Beja, Portugal

The SoilTribes Consortium gathered on 13 February in Beja, Portugal, for a full-day meeting dedicated to progress sharing, reflection, and planning the next steps of the project. Hosted and led by our partner INOVA+, the meeting brought together SoilTribespartners from across Europe to exchange updates, strengthen coordination, and reaffirm the project’s shared mission.

The day began with a short, energizing ice‑breaking activity facilitated by INOVA+ and Pé de Xumbo, setting a collaborative tone. Following this, our Project Officer, Amanda Ozin, welcomed the consortium and introduced the agenda, paving the way for a series of presentations from all partners.

Throughout the meeting, each partner shared updates from their respective fields of work, highlighting achievements, challenges, and upcoming activities. 

Discussions and presentations focused on: 

• Project coordination and alignment, including reporting processes, partner collaboration, and long‑term sustainability planning.

• Creative and educational activities, such as traveling exhibitions, training initiatives, and community‑engagement formats that bring soil-related themes to diverse audiences. 

• Policy and governance work, including the development of materials aimed at supporting decision‑makers in areas such as soil de‑sealing and sustainable land management. 

• Tools, resources, and implementation progress, with updates on digital platforms, methodological developments, and milestone delivery. 

• Research, communication, and capacity‑building, including new educational offerings and activities that connect entrepreneurs, cultural actors, and local communities. 

• Cultural and networking initiatives, highlighting festivals, artistic collaborations, and community‑driven events that strengthen the project’s cultural dimension. 

• Communication and Exploitation activities.

Welcoming the SoilTribes beneficiaries

We welcomed representatives from the recently approved SoilTribes-funded projects who joined the meeting to be onboarded and aligned with the project’s processes. Their participation marks an exciting step forward as they begin their journey within the project’s framework.

With renewed energy and a clear roadmap ahead, the SoilTribes partners continue working together to build stronger connections between communities, culture, and soil stewardship. We were grateful to meet our partners in-person and we appreciate everyone’s contribution to the Consortium Meeting as we continue building the SoilTribes project together.