Construção de uma cidadania territorial participativa: implementação do Projeto Nós Propomos em Timor-Leste

Abstract

This article aims to reflect on the implementation of the "Projeto Nós Propomos! Citizenship and Innovation in Geographic Education" in a 12th year Geography class, at the Centro de Aprendizagem e Formação Escolar - CAFE, in Suai, municipality of Cova Lima, Timor-Leste, 2025. The initiative aimed to promote geographic education and active citizenship, articulating school knowledge with local territorial challenges. The experience involved 27 students, two Geography teachers and also the Portuguese and Technology and Multimedia Education teacher, who developed six research projects on issues of lived space, culminating in the submission of projects in the form of powerpoint, poster and photography and participation in the National Congress of the We Propose Project! carried out by the Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning (IGOT), University of Lisbon, on May 8, 2025. The methodology used is project work, sensitizing students to look at the territory and identify local territorial problems, challenging them to make their contribution to their resolution and, not least, encouraging them to participate in partnerships between the school and public and private entities. The project was developed following the steps, a) identification of the problem affecting the territory – survey of the needs and challenges of the local community; direct observation and data collection (surveys, field interviews and bibliography consultation); and selection of the relevant topic; b) formulation of the problem and objectives, c) preparation of proposals for solving the problem. The results highlight the potential of school Geography as an instrument for critical training and community intervention.