Is Portugal the crossing point for a new third sector leadership?

Would you believe such a small country has produced so many key players in Europe such as Barroso, President of the EC; Maria Joao Rofrigues, Ms Lisbon Strategy and a dynasty of football players?

I’m leaving Lisbon where I’ve been since thursday and feel that I was in the middle of a soft revolution.

I gave a keynote speech at the Congress of Social Enterpreneurship in Cascais organised by Miguel Alves-Martins, founder of the Institute for Social Enterprenurship (IES). The other keynote was the world’s top social enterpreneur Celso Grecco, founder of Social Stock Exchange in Sao Paulo (Br).

In 2007 a project for a hub of social innovation in Porto was presented at the Congress and established in 2008. The same here the Social Stock Exchange was presented and this year Lisbon has launched the first SSE in Europe. Lisbon before London. If we respect the tradition next year we will launch Euclid Portugal!?!

On Monday we had the first meeting with 15 Portuguese first sector leaders – they rather call themselves social enterpreneurs – interested in joining and developing a national body. Their needs emerged in the discussion. There is a crying need for more coordination amongst young leaders who want to esacape from the divisions and silly rivalries that are scattered across the sector.

In the next 2 weeks we will put together an action plan to be shared with the big fish in the country.

Portugal reminds of my home country: beautiful, traditional and inward looking. Inhabited but a happy relaxed crowd and a small group of young change-makers such as Catarina and Miguel who struggle to make a difference. Every day is a discovery for them!

The need to spread social enterpreneurship and connect the Portuguese initiative with the other European initiatives emerged as well and raised a further opportunity: EDP Foundation (National Energy Company) is working on a massive regeneration project in the poorest region in the north of the country and will organise a conference with IES next year.

We want to use this opportunity to involve members leading social enterprises from across Europe to work on a reaserch project which proves how the sector tackles poverty. Next year is the European year of poverty eradication!

We could gather members from all families (social economy, business, enterpreneurship, enterprise, solidarity economy) to look for a common ground especially when we address the EU. As you know we are considered just SMEs by DG Enterprise and in general a social cost. I would call it a necessary evil. I don’t like to be considered this but it is a source of innovation. You must have seen my new look: shaven with acid green apple glasses. Isn’t the future green… economy!