Graça on Foot: Citizen Mapping for an Inclusive Neighbourhood

This action explores everyday mobility, ageing and the right to the city through older women's experiences in a historic neighbourhood shaped by tourism and urban change. A participatory walk, dialogue and film pilot a citizen mapping methodology for more inclusive and age-friendly neighbourhoods.

This one-day action begins with a citizen mapping walk, where participants will collectively identify barriers and opportunities along their everyday routes, documenting damaged pavements, steep streets, unsafe crossings, insufficient seating, poor lighting and other factors affecting mobility. They will also identify green spaces, shaded areas and places that support wellbeing, social interaction and thermal comfort. Using printed maps, photographs and field notes, participants will co-produce practical proposals to improve walkability, accessibility and the quality of public and green spaces. The walk is followed by a collective discussion where participants share their experiences, identify priorities and reflect on neighborhood change. The day concludes with a film screening exploring older women's experiences in another historic neighborhood, followed by an open discussion that encourages participants to compare experiences and reflect on aging, urban transformation, environmental quality and the right to the city. Recognizing older women's everyday knowledge as essential for more inclusive urban planning, the citizen map and recommendations will be presented to relevant local authorities to support future improvements. By combining citizen mapping, dialogue and cultural exchange, the initiative demonstrates how community knowledge can support more inclusive urban planning while offering a simple, participatory and easily replicable methodology for other communities.