Initiative I of the Código Portugal Movement runs until December 11

Until December 11, Movimento Código Portugal (Portugal Code Movement) – a national campaign to raise awareness of the importance of digital literacy and computing, which presents coding as a condition of citizenship in the future and as a mechanism for democratization and inclusion for knowledge – is holding its Initiative I. During these days, elementary school students will build small computer programs by combining graphic code blocks in a sequence of simple problems, accessing a platform that will be available on the Movement's website.

Initiative #1 is aligned withComputer Science Education Weekand the global eventHour of Code, with the aim of encouraging the national community to get involved in a challenge that already reaches tens of millions of students in more than 180 countries. The results of the schools' participation can be followed live at http://codingfest.org/codemove/vis/. Activities are also being organized throughout the country, proposed by participating institutions, schools, higher education institutions, research institutions, and others.

The closing event of initiative #1 will take place on December 11 at the Pavilhão do Conhecimento (Pavilion of Knowledge) in Lisbon, with a series of open workshops. Children, young people, and adults will have the opportunity to learn how to program and share the results of their projects in collaboration with experts from scientific institutions in the fields of computer science, programming, and robotics. Several members of the government will be present, including the Minister of Science, Technology, and Higher Education, Manuel Heitor, and the Secretary of State for Science, Technology, and Higher Education, Maria Fernanda Rollo. The program is available on the Movement's website.

The Código Portugal Movement is promoted by the Government through the areas of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Education, Economy and Labor, Solidarity and Social Security, and has the support of FCT and several institutions such as Google, Microsoft, Cisco, IBM, Altran, APDC, Critical Software, PNMF, PT, IST, and ANPRI. Initiative I is promoted in partnership with Ciência Viva, the Directorate-General for Education, and the Faculty of Science and Technology of NOVA University Lisbon.