ATPD — Associação Transmontana Pelo Desenvolvimento

ATPD (Associação Transmontana Pelo Desenvolvimento) runs human rights education and community projects in Trás-os-Montes. The non-profit association is based in Samões, Vila Flor, in the Bragança district, and works across the municipalities of Vila Flor, Carrazeda de Ansiães and Bragança. Its programme has included the Academia dos Direitos Humanos (Human Rights Academy), now in its third edition, and community exhibitions such as *Vila Flor no Feminino*. It has also run educational activities for local schools and community groups. Some of this work was done in cooperation with organisations such as IMVF and co-financed by the European Union. ATPD develops its activities in partnership with other national entities and takes a people-centred approach to local development. The mission is to promote human dignity and the transversality of human rights, meaning that human rights cut across every area of life. Its values are equality, freedom, political and religious independence, respect and solidarity, with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union as its reference. Across Trás-os-Montes, it works to promote human rights and equal opportunities and to eliminate discrimination and social vulnerabilities. ATPD is governed by a Direção (board), a Mesa da Assembleia Geral and a Conselho Fiscal, made up of local women leaders. It relies on volunteers, membership contributions and donations to keep its activities going. People in the community are invited to get involved by spreading the word, becoming members or donating. Trás-os-Montes is a rural region of northern Portugal that has historically been underserved. As a locally rooted organisation, ATPD puts external cooperation funding and civic energy into concrete actions for social cohesion, human rights awareness and community participation there.