ULusófona hosts an international ROWACT meeting
European partnership presents an action plan to promote physical activity, social inclusion and menopause education for women aged 50+
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
The 1st international partners’ meeting of the ROWACT - Rowing and Wellness through Active Community Training project took place on 19, 20 and 21 March at Lusófona University - Porto University Centre and brought together representatives from all institutions involved in this transnational initiative, namely Clube Fluvial Portuense, ROWING4FUN ASD, from Italy, and Veslaški Klub Piran, from Slovenia.
During the meeting, partners presented the ROWACT action plan, which aims to promote health, social inclusion and active ageing, focusing on women over 50. The responsibilities of each institution were also defined across the project’s three main Work Packages: Coordination, Implementation and Monitoring and Communication and Dissemination.
The event included thematic sessions dedicated to evidence-based methodologies for indoor and outdoor rowing, postural exercise and injury prevention, as well as moments for sharing best practices in the fields of education, health and inclusion, aimed at the project’s target audience.
One of the topics addressed during the meeting was the importance of educating the community about perimenopause and menopause, stages in women’s lives that often present signs and symptoms that are unknown or stigmatised. Eduardo Teixeira, Director of the Master’s in Exercise and Health at Lusófona University - Porto University Centre, explained that it is indeed important “to educate the community to talk about these symptoms and signs, to accept them as normal, and also to encourage people to engage in physical activity”.
ROWACT aims to reduce social isolation, promote physical activity and minimise the risk of falls and injuries among women aged 50+, combining rowing, coach training, digital tools and community-based activities.
This meeting thus marked an important step in European sports cooperation, combining the practical experience of clubs with scientific evidence and creating a sustainable model that may eventually be applied to other organisations across Europe.
