If you work from home or work remotely and you're sick of looking at the same 4 walls, then this could be just the solution for you. The municipality of Bragança in north-eastern Portugal has just launched a pilot project, under which it invites remote workers to enjoy the experience of living in the city of Bragança located in the sub-region of Trás-os-Montes for a month. This includes a paid house and Internet included in the accommodation. Registration began at the end of March 2021, and families or individual workers can apply. We have the details.
The initiative known in the area as "Bragança. Liberdade para Recomeçar" (Bragança. Freedom to Start Over) is part of the URBACT Cooperation Programme - Find Your Greatness, a project financed by the European Union. This programme promotes the implementation of pilot schemes as a way of learning and exchanging experiences for the promotion of sustainable development in European cities.
"Through this project we intend to share the quality of life that Bragança has to offer with those who choose to live and work from here, underlining that it is possible to be connected with the working world and, at the same time, enjoy an inviting territory to take a break or disconnect from the frenetic pace of everyday life," says Hernâni Dias, Mayor of Bragança, quoted on the municipality's website.
The mayor believes in the success of the challenge of this programme where people can "start over in Bragança", taking into account the changes in work, namely the rise in teleworking imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, since "many activities can now be carried out from anywhere in the world" and, "in the last year, residents in Portugal have rediscovered the charms of the inland regions of the country".
Digital nomads documentary
In order to create conditions to develop the experience and facilitate the integration process, the "new residents in Bragança are assured, free of charge, during the month of May, accommodation with all the comforts to guarantee the quality of life and the possibility to work remotely", as it is also explained in the municipality website. Those who choose to spend the month in the city have also been promised a welcome basket with regional products and Experience Vouchers for several attractions located in Bragança.
In turn, participants are challenged to live autonomously in the municipality and to share their experience through social networks. At the end, a documentary will be shared in order to transmit the daily life of the "new Brigantinos", to share learning and to assess the effectiveness of the pilot scheme.
After being selected, (the application process is open until April 10th 2021), the digital nomads themselves will choose the accommodation where they want to stay: 1 property is available in the city of Bragança and 3 more in villages close to the municipality.
One of the advantages highlighted by the municipality has to do with the possibility for candidates to work in contact with nature. The municipality of Bragança is part of the Biosfera Transfronteiriça Meseta Ibérica, a seal of excellence awarded by UNESCO. This is a distinction extended to the entire Montesinho Natural Park, of which Bragança is also a part.
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