This is the first in a series of articles that will start by addressing social deficits and presenting the results of the social impact that the Foundation's work has had on the positive transformation of society.
The Dr. António Cupertino de Miranda Foundation (FACM) is a private, non-profit institution established in 1964 and based in Porto, on Avenida da Boavista. Its mission is to carry out educational, social and cultural activities that promote the knowledge society and contribute to social cohesion.
FACM assumes the vision, practice and values of strategic philanthropy and is very committed to social innovation, with the ability to identify and respond to social deficits. It invests in complex, neglected causes that concern a large number of people. Causes that the government can't or won't embrace and, as such, need to be brought to public attention, provoking reflection, which invariably urgently calls for programs that help mitigate them and have the capacity to influence public policy.
The Foundation is responsible for the Paper Money Museum (MPM), which has an unparalleled collection of different types of fiduciary paper and which forms the basis of the entire program.
The Museum shares a mission with the Foundation and both see themselves as social entrepreneurs, valuing research projects and proximity to the Academy as fundamental to detecting social problems, to which they devise responses implemented through collaborative projects that have a positive impact on society.
The Foundation is guided by four values: openness and a strong connection to the community; sustainability, creating programs that are relevant to the community; social entrepreneurship, based on programs that catalyze change and respond to social deficits; knowledge, which, by combining formal and non-formal education, promotes participation and social inclusion.
It invests in complex, neglected causes that concern a large number of people. Causes that the government can't or won't embrace and, as such, need to be brought to public attention, provoking reflection, which invariably urgently calls for programs that help mitigate them and have the capacity to influence public policy.
In view of the new challenges, which require new methods and responses that are well-structured, longer-lasting and more effective than those that already exist, new projects have been designed, among which financial literacy projects stand out. This has led to a new positioning for FACM, with a new ambition and openness to society. A new program was born in 2009, bringing new social value. The projects are now co-created - they are always collaborative processes - and are aimed at empowering the various audiences they target.
The Foundation's work has been recognized by several awards: in 2002, the National Euro Commission Award, for its contribution to preparing Portuguese society for the single currency; in 2005, the gold medal of the City of Porto, for interventions in the areas of culture and education; and in 2013, the "Institution" award from APOM - Portuguese Museology Association. APOM has also awarded the Paper Money Museum two prizes: in 2009 in the "Best Cultural Outreach Service" category and in 2019 in the "Education and Cultural Mediation Project" category.
The Foundation stands out for pioneering and developing projects dedicated to promoting financial literacy among different audiences: "Eu e a Minha Reforma" (Me and My Retirement), focused on the population over 55, "No Poupar Está o Ganho" (Saving is Earning), developed for children and young people from pre-school to secondary school, (since 2009) "Por Tua Conta" (On Your Own), dedicated to vocational education, and "Educação Financeira: Uma Necessidade Especial" (Financial Education: A Special Need), designed for people with cognitive impairment.
Me and My Retirement aims to promote financial education and digital empowerment for adults. It is an approach specifically designed for people in pre-retirement and retirement, to ensure that equal opportunities for financial knowledge are truly guaranteed.
As part of this program, the 2023 Forum "Literacy for Longevity and Financial Literacy: Commitment. Empowerment. Transformation."
The aim of this forum is to bring together a group of experts to raise public awareness of longevity literacy and financial literacy. These cannot be improved with information alone. Providing information is not enough. It is necessary to bring interpretation of knowledge to people, so that they reflect on it and understand it, and then commit to it and transform it.
We have to win this effort and make it endogenous, since the evidence shows that ageism is widespread in society and can be found everywhere, from our workplaces, health systems, social institutions, to the stereotypes we see on television, in advertising and in the media.
The lack of literacy about longevity and also financial literacy among the Portuguese compromises financial planning and requires knowledge and training.
The focus on longevity and financial education is not only important for people, but also for policymakers who have to choose priorities when designing public policies (at local and central government level) that create the conditions for older people to have a better life.
The forum will be held at the Dr. António Cupertino de Miranda Foundation on December 7 at 14:30. Registration is free but limited. The program can be consulted here.
The quality of the speakers and the topics that will be covered promise interesting reflections and the presentation of perspectives and visions that could contribute to influencing public policies to design a Longevity Strategy.
