On 1 and 2 October, the National Defence Institute (IDN) promoted the I Latin Polar Science Workshop, in partnership with the Military University Institute (IUM), Latin Polar Science, the Portuguese Institute of International Relations (IPRI), the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences (NOVA FCSH) and the Atlantic Centre. The workshop took place in person at the IUM facilities and online.
Over two days, the event brought together a group of experts, academics, researchers and representatives of international institutions from Portugal, Brazil, Spain and Argentina for a wide-ranging debate on the polar regions. Topics related to science, geopolitics and security were addressed, reflecting the growing international interest in these strategic areas of the planet.
The opening session was attended by Professor Isabel Ferreira Nunes, the Director of IDN and Master Céline Rodrigues, co-founder of Latin Polar Science, and included an inaugural lecture by Rear Admiral Nuno de Noronha Bragança, Director of the Atlantic Centre. This was followed by panels dedicated to the themes 'International Cooperation in the Antarctic', 'Being in the Field in the Arctic: Easy Task for Natural Sciences?', and 'Arctic and Atlantic: A Matter of Security in the North and South'. The first day ended with a presentation by Captain (Navy) Baptista Pereira.
On the second day, the workshop continued with sessions on 'Connecting Ocean, Poles and Space,' "Communication Between Science and Decision Making Regarding the Poles" and finally “Polar Research Centres". The event also provided opportunities for networking and exchange of experiences among participants.
It can be concluded that the I Latin Polar Science Workshop achieved its goal of establishing itself as a platform for scientific exchange and strengthening international cooperation. As several speakers emphasised, it is urgent to continue promoting initiatives of this nature, which are essential for deepening our knowledge and attention to the polar regions and contributing to their more sustainable future.