“Bragança, Freedom to Start over”: Bragança bets on new project to attract remote workers

The initiative is part of the Cooperation Programme URBACT - Find Your Greatness, a project financed by the European Union, which promotes the implementation of pilot actions, as a way of learning and exchanging experiences for the promotion of sustainable development in European cities.

"Bragança. Freedom to Start Over" is the pitch presented by the Municipality of Bragança. It is a social experiment thinking of active people - with the possibility of developing their professional activity remotely - and with the will to explore different work environments. It assumes itself as a new approach to promote Bragança and the local economy, promoting the destination as the ideal place to work remotely, away from home, with flexibility and freedom.

"Through this project Is intended to disclose the quality of life that Bragança has to offer to those who choose to live and work from here, to underline it is possible to be connected with the working world and, at the same time, enjoy an inviting territory to take a break and/or disconnect from the frenetic pace of ordinary life. The initiative aims to reveal all the potential of the territory and, by sharing the experience - which is expected to be positive - inspire those who have the possibility to keep working remotely even after the pandemic, to live in Bragança", explain Hernâni Dias, Mayor of Bragança.

Bragança. Freedom to experiment.

To promote conditions to develop the experience and simplify the integration process, the "new Brigantinos" (name given to the locals of Bragança) are provided, during the month of May, with accommodation with all amenities to ensure quality of life and the possibility to work remotely. Free of charge.
A welcome basket with regional products and Experience Vouchers for several attractions in Bragança will also be made available. In turn, participants are challenged to live autonomously in the municipality and share their experience through social networks. At the end, a documentary will be shared to reflect the daily life of the "new Brigantinos", to share learning and to assess the effectiveness of the project.
Bragança is one of the largest municipalities in the country with an authentic, natural territory, with an amazing biodiversity and magnificent landscapes. The unique cuisine, the various cultural spaces, the welcoming community and quality of life are the main attractions for those looking for a territory In-sync with the working style of the future.

"We know that the changes in the way we live and work have gained expression in the last year among workers and employers who have adapted to maintain the job. Communication has moved to new platforms, we have experimented with working remotely, we have made the time spent travelling more profitable and, with these adjustments, we have also acquired greater flexibility and the effective perception that many activities can be developed from anywhere in the world. In the last year, the Portuguese have rediscovered the charms of the inland of Portugal. Now the challenge is to start over in Bragança", states Hernâni Dias.

Bragança is synonymous with freedom to start again, freedom to work and freedom to switch on and off.

The municipality of Bragança is part of the Meseta Ibérica Transfrontier Biosphere Reserve, a seal of excellence, recognised by UNESCO, which distinguishes this territory as a place of symbiosis between Man and the Biosphere and as an authentic place. A distinction extended to the whole Natural Park of Montesinho, of which Bragança is also part and is distinguished by its rounded hills, by the valleys and wild rivers, by the marshes and woods that shelter a diverse fauna, a true paradise for ornithologists and where more than 80% of the mammals of the national territory live.

Photo source: erasmusu.com