The connections that unite and form a single community

In São Brás de Alportel, foreign residents are welcomed and integrated into the community with the support of the Municipality and those who have already walked that path. Through the role of the Foreign Residents’ Ombudsman, an innovative initiative created by the local government as part of its social development strategy, the Municipality has established a direct link between the local population and the many foreigners who choose to live in the region—promoting inclusion, intercultural dialogue, and a sense of belonging.

Launched in 2014, this initiative is carried out on a voluntary basis by foreign residents who are already fully integrated into the São Brás community and have demonstrated strong communication skills. The Support and Assistance Service for Foreign Residents offers personalised help to new international arrivals. Its mission is to guide, inform, translate, accompany them through official processes, and, above all, to ease the integration into a territory where different cultures coexist in mutual respect and complementarity.

Recognized as a national best practice by the High Commission for Migration, this initiative has been key to addressing the growing number of foreign residents in the municipality.

With the same sensitivity, the Municipality has also been publishing monthly interviews with foreign residents since 2015, shared through social media, local newspapers, and the official website. In these interviews, participants talk about what brought them to São Brás de Alportel, what they value most in the area, their occupations, and a bit about their life stories—helping the entire community get to know their new neighbors better.

By bringing together people, stories, and cultures, São Brás de Alportel seeks to promote welcoming, integration, and active citizenship.

In São Brás de Alportel, the Foreign Residents’ Ombudsman can be contacted through the Municipal Office or via the email: help.foreign@cm-sbras.pt.