More than Just a Cultural District

There is a famous African proverb that tells us "it takes a whole village to educate a child". In the world we live in, the emerging challenges, which are constantly evolving at an increasingly astonishing pace, raise particularly relevant issues and needs in the field of education. Perhaps, more than at any other time in history, it makes sense to reflect on the role that each of the entities in the educational and cultural sector should assume, in a logic that is increasingly close and dialogic.

In this context, and in another line of action, WOW Porto, being a large cultural quarter, does not want, therefore, or perhaps precisely because of this, to confine itself to its boundaries. It is the people who visit us, the relationships we cultivate, the connections we establish with different institutions and communities that will largely shape who we are and will be, our identity. Being one of the pillars on which the Educational Service is built, it has been our purpose from day one to seek to step out of our spaces to meet those who usually seek us out, to bring a bit of who we are and what we do into classrooms (and beyond), in moments of true co-learning.

It is in this context that our programs "WOW in Schools" and "Projects with a WOW Factor" fit in. Regarding our visits to Schools/Institutions, these can take on multiple forms, depending on what makes the most sense for those who receive us (sessions for teachers/educators, organizing different classes for students, open forums for the school community). Similarly, in line with this objective, the section introduced in this blog aims to present content in different formats that bridge the topics covered in Essential Learning and the themes we address in each of our Museums.

It is worth noting that the Educational Service is, above all, just that: a service. Not a set of closed proposals in themselves, within a rigid and common narrative, but a privileged platform for listening and seeking to respond to the needs, desires, challenges, and projects that all those to whom we dedicate our work may want to address to us.

And here we return to the point from which we started: each entity, especially those in the cultural sphere, must assume its place as an agent of education. In a more or less direct way, we can contribute to an active promotion of knowledge, to awakening the thirst and pleasure of learning throughout one's life journey. With a concerted effort from all parties involved in this process, in a spirit of dialogue, sharing, and knowledge exchange, we have no doubt that the results can be even more significant. This corroborates what African popular wisdom proclaims, that many are called - far more than those who "fit" in a block - to engage in a full and effective education.