sustainability
Quality Education
Target 4.7
Ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development.
Indicator
34,810 beneficiaries of training and cultural activities.
Action
Training sessions in the form of masterclasses were offered to Cascais Opera competitors, with additional spots made available to singers outside the competition. This initiative provided valuable opportunities for learning, personalized feedback, and professional networking.
The international singing competition also enabled the training of the first Image Whisperers in Portugal, within the field of classical music (see Accessibility section).
As a cultural event, every public moment of Cascais Ópera — from auditions to concerts and the final — represents an opportunity for cultural enrichment and greater connection with opera for all audiences.
From an inclusion perspective, members from partner associations were invited to attend the auditions in person, promoting access to culture, social inclusion, and musical literacy among communities often distant from this artistic universe.
Gender Equality
Target 5.5
Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making.
Indicator
Gender-balanced core team (3 women and 3 men) and international jury with equal representation (7 women and 6 men in 2026; 5 women and 7 men in 2025).
Decent Work and Economic Growth
Target 8.6
Substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education, or training.
Indicator
11 contracts and professional opportunities created for young singers.
Action
Through its mission of artistic professionalization, Cascais Opera has awarded contracts that enable young singers to begin or strengthen their professional careers.
Reduced Inequalities
Target 10.2
Empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, or economic status.
Indicator
24 participants involved in inclusive activities.
Action
By engaging local associations in creative projects and inviting their members to attend cultural events, Cascais Opera has promoted inclusive access to culture, reinforcing its mission to democratize and ensure equity in the arts sector. Through its partnership with Sopradores de Imagens, three blind audience members attended the Final at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
Responsible Consumption and Production
Target 12.5
Substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse.
Indicator
50% of communication materials reused or digitalized.
Action
Two industrial sewing machines were donated to local associations to repurpose graphic materials from the previous edition (such as banners), resulting in the creation of 86 new products. In 2025, all materials were already designed with a focus on durability and reuse.
Additionally, several operational processes — such as the jury voting system — were made fully digital, reducing paper consumption and promoting a lighter ecological footprint.
Water dispensers were installed at all event venues to encourage the use of reusable cups and bottles, reducing the consumption of single-use plastic bottles.
A sustainable mobility plan was also implemented to minimize the environmental impact of participants and audiences.
Partnerships For the Goals
Target 17.17
Encourage and promote effective partnerships between the public, private, and civil society sectors.
Indicator
17 active partnerships with social and cultural impact.
Action
Cascais Opera has developed collaborations with entities such as Associação Gaivotas da Torre, Centro Paroquial do Estoril, Cascais City Council, Fundação D. Luís, Turismo de Cascais, Fundación “la Caixa,” Associação Égide, among others — strengthening its support network and ensuring the project’s sustainability through the mobilization of local resources and expertise.
Community Engagement Projects
Cascais Opera maintains ongoing partnerships with the Centro Paroquial do Estoril and the Associação Gaivotas da Torre, reinforcing its commitment to social inclusion and sustainability.
Since its first edition, the project has been transforming communication materials from each edition into new products, which will become part of the official Cascais Opera merchandising — a creative, sustainable, and collaborative process.
At the same time, by sharing the origin and story of these materials, the project fosters audience engagement, sparking curiosity and appreciation for opera.
All participants are invited to attend the live competition rounds, experiencing a unique artistic and emotional encounter.
In 2025, Cascais Opera also organized a Summer Solidarity Concert, with all proceeds donated in full to both partner associations — further strengthening its commitment to community impact and social responsibility.
