In addition to having recently revalidated the title of ‘Sports Friendly Municipality’, the municipality led by Mário Passos today received the Flag of Ethics in Sport, a distinction that rewards and recognises actions, programmes and projects that promote ethical values, social inclusion, the development of civic skills and social responsibility.

The Ethics Flag, which certifies the good practices developed by the municipality of Famalicão in promoting values such as respect, fair play, solidarity and generosity, was awarded today by the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (IPDJ) at a ceremony held on Tuesday afternoon at the Casa das Artes in Famalicão, which also honoured 50 other institutions, including clubs, federations, municipalities, schools and other organisations.

‘There were around 700 applications, from projects that are so different and distinct, but which converge in what is important: commitment to values, which are values of life, but which we also want to emphasise in sport,’ said Lídia Praça, member of the IPDJ board of directors, at the ceremony.

The Municipality of Vila Nova de Famalicão ‘has been committed to this and it is with great pleasure that we are here to mark this moment,’ she added.

Vila Nova de Famalicão received the Flag of Ethics in Sport, which rewards and recognises the action that has been promoted through the different sports programmes and initiatives in the territory.

‘The commitment to ethics in sport is a practice that we have in the various municipal programmes where, across the board and in a pedagogical and formative way, we pass on fundamental values such as honesty, fair play, equal opportunities - which should guide us every day - and which we take to what sport and sporting practice is all about,’ points out Sports Councillor Pedro Oliveira.

The municipality also saw this work recognised with the Good Practice Award for the work of the Sports Office in the ‘Best Department’ category of the different municipalities under evaluation.

Among the 50 or so distinctions handed out, reference should also be made to the schools' “Best Project”, developed by the Gondifelos School Group and which brought the “School Sport with fair play and health” programme to the jury's evaluation, and to the distinction given to the Joane Sports Group, which received the Ethics Flag from the IPDJ North Regional Directorate.

At the end of October, the municipality of Vila Nova de Famalicão was also honoured with the title of ‘Sports Friendly Municipality’ for the eighth consecutive year. The award, which recognises the policies and investments of Portuguese municipalities in favour of physical activity and sports development, was revalidated at a ceremony held at the António Ferreira da Silva auditorium in Lagoa, Azores.