Sónia Jorge Costa Pires is a lawyer and currently serves as a councilor in the Tavira City Council, where her experience in public administration and social rights is applied to the management of legal, environmental, and citizenship issues in the municipality of Tavira.
Inês Lapa is a certified nutritionist and trainer who stands out for her approach focused on physical and mental health through food, which she sums up in the expression “eating life.”
Anabela Silva de Castro
Licenciatura pela Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação da Universidade do Porto, área vocacional de Consulta Psicológica de Jovens e Adultos. Pós-Graduação em Educação de Adultos pelo Instituto Politécnico do Porto. Experiência em psicologia escolar de 1995 a 2003. Coordenação de projetos na área da saúde e avaliação psicológica na Câmara Municipal de Matosinhos, de 2003 a 2016. Coordenação e implementação de projetos nas áreas da educação e ação social na Área Metropolitana do Porto, de 2016 a 2019. Assessoria na Assembleia da República nas áreas da Saúde e Educação entre 2019 e 2022. Coordenação das áreas da Juventude e Saúde na Área Metropolitana do Porto desde 2022.
Mentora de projeto educativo na área do bem-estar animal e sustentabilidade ambiental na Associação Quinta das Águias.
Gabriel Mateus
Gabriel Mateus is a PhD candidate in Planetary Health Studies at the University of Lisbon, affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon (FMUL), where he is part of the SAFRA – Safe Transitions for Healthy Environments research group, and with the National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA). His doctoral research compares the health, environmental and socioeconomic impacts of different dietary scenarios for Portugal, in collaboration with the international FABLE consortium. For over a decade, he has been promoting health and the transition towards plant-based diets through clinical practice, teaching and community education. He is the founder of Eat2Care and President of Associação Projeto Safira.
Frederico Castro
Frederico Castro is President of Póvoa de Lanhoso Municipality, where he is serving his second consecutive term. He holds a degree in Political and Administrative Science and has a long background in local government and public service. His work focuses on local development, community wellbeing and strengthening the social, environmental and economic future of the municipality.
Maria Julia Rosa
Maria Julia Rosa is a Clinical Nutritionist, with postgraduate qualifications in Metabolic and Nutritional Assessment from Omnivorous to Vegetarian Diets and in Nutrition and Aesthetics. She has been vegan for over 13 years and has worked in clinical practice for the past decade, specialising in vegetarian and vegan nutrition. She is a lecturer on the postgraduate programme in Vegetarian Nutrition and Medicine at Plenitude Educação and contributes to academic publications in the field, including the International Vegetarian Union’s Vegan Nutrition Guide. She also volunteers with the Brazilian Vegetarian Society and ProVeg Portugal.
Miguel Antunes
Miguel Antunes is Vice-President of Coimbra Municipality, where he oversees areas including commerce and industry, entrepreneurship and investment, education, health, tourism and the municipal veterinary service. Elected as part of the Avançar Coimbra coalition, he works at the intersection of local government, economic development, public services and community wellbeing.
Rui Pedro Fonesca
Researcher at CIES-Iscte, Lecturer at Faculty of Human Sciences of the Catholic University. With the aim of identifying pathways toward sustainable food systems, my research examines consumer behavior, interspecies relations, and educational practices.
Ana Brandão
Ana Brandão é criadora de conteúdo digital e influencer especializada no nicho vegano em Portugal, onde se destaca como uma das referências na divulgação do estilo de vida vegan.
Há cerca de seis anos que utiliza as redes sociais para mostrar, de forma próxima e descomplicada, que o veganismo vai muito além da alimentação. Através da sua página The Vegetariana, partilha restaurantes e espaços vegan, novidades e produtos de supermercado, cosmética cruelty-free, moda e diferentes experiências ligadas ao estilo de vida vegan.
Para além da criação de conteúdo, Ana tem também um papel activo na criação e dinamização da comunidade vegan. É responsável pela organização dos Jantares de Comunidade Vegan Porto, iniciativa através da qual reúne regularmente dezenas de pessoas à mesa, promovendo a ligação e a partilha entre membros da comunidade vegan.
Em 2024, foi também a criadora do Plant Based Aveiro, o primeiro festival vegan realizado em Aveiro, dedicado à celebração e divulgação do estilo de vida plant-based e vegan.
Com uma presença consistente no Instagram e uma comunidade que acompanha diariamente o seu trabalho, Ana alia a sua experiência enquanto criadora de conteúdo à sua formação em Marketing Digital, criando conteúdos e iniciativas que procuram informar, inspirar e aproximar cada vez mais pessoas do universo vegan.
Ada Rocha
Nutritionist, PhD in Biotechnology from the Portuguese Catholic University. Full Professor at the Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences of the University of Porto. Coordinator of the international MedDietMenus4CAmpus project.
Adriana Marques
Adriana Marques has been a registered nutritionist (3012N) since 2016, when she became a full member of the Portuguese Order of Nutritionists. She currently works for Lisbon City Council as part of the food awareness programme “Vamos Todos ao Mercado” (“Let’s All Go to the Market”).
Having been vegetarian for eight years, she decided to redirect her career and, in 2022, completed a postgraduate degree in Vegetarian Nutrition and Medicine. Through her professional platforms, she shares evidence-based information on healthy, sustainable and plant-based nutrition, without fundamentalism.
In this context, she provides online consultations, mainly aimed at the vegetarian population. She is also a trainer, delivering online training courses in the field of nutrition and dietetics.
Vera Neves
Vera Neves is an Environmental Engineer and Head of the Environmental Unit at the Municipality of São João da Madeira, where she has dedicated her career to transforming sustainability from an ambition into meaningful action within the community.
Her work spans environmental education, circular economy, waste management, biodiversity, climate action and sustainable urban development, with a particular focus on creating projects that actively involve citizens, schools and local communities.
Over the years, Vera has coordinated the Local and School Agenda 21 programme and numerous environmental education initiatives covering organic gardening, home composting, waste, water, energy and biodiversity. She is also the Municipality’s representative for the Eco-Schools programme, helping to bring environmental awareness and action directly into the education system.
Her work has been instrumental in developing innovative approaches to waste reduction and the circular economy in São João da Madeira, including selective door-to-door waste collection, the implementation of a PAYT — “Pay As You Throw” — system, management of the Municipal Ecocentre and projects focused on the decarbonisation and circular transformation of traditional fresh-food markets.
Vera has also been behind initiatives that connect sustainability with community wellbeing, including the Fundo de Vila Urban Gardens, Sustainable Markets, and a pioneering resource centre for orthopaedic equipment based on the recycling and collection of plastic bottle caps.
Her commitment to protecting and reconnecting communities with nature is also reflected in the development and implementation of the Conservation and Revitalisation of the Rio Ul Park project, supported by Portugal 2020.
At European level, Vera has represented the Municipality of São João da Madeira in D-NOSES, a Horizon 2020 project, further connecting local environmental action with wider European innovation and research.
Throughout her career, Vera has demonstrated that the environmental transition is not simply about policies and targets — it is about people, education, participation and creating practical systems that allow communities to live more sustainably.
Her work represents a powerful example of how local leadership can create lasting environmental change, turning cities into living laboratories for a more circular, resilient and sustainable future.
Alice Basílio
Alice Basílio is the President of Save & Care, an organization that combines animal rights activism with the management of a rescue sanctuary. Alice leads the organization in carrying out awareness-raising activities in Portugal, while also providing a safe and exploitation-free home for animals rescued from the animal farm industry.
Brenda is one of the leading plant-based pioneers and an internationally acclaimed speaker. She is widely regarded as a rock star of plant-based nutrition and was referred to as “The Godmother” of vegan dietitians by VegNews.
Brenda has been a featured speaker at medical, nutrition, and dietetic conferences in over 20 countries on 5 continents. Her most interesting adventures include a personal consult and lecture for a member of the royal family (and his staff) in Saudi Arabia (with colleague, Dr. Michael Greger), a lifestyle intervention demonstration project for the medical community in Lithuania (with colleague, Dr. John Kelly), and serving as the lead dietitians in a diabetes intervention research project in the Marshall Islands. On her last trip to the Marshall Islands (November 2017), she developed a nutrition education curriculum for kindergarten through grade 6 and trained teachers in all public schools.
As a prolific nutrition and health writer, Brenda has authored/co-authored 13 books with nearly a million copies in print in 15 languages. Her most recent works include Plant Powered Protein , with her son Cory and colleague Vesanto Melina, Nourish: The Definitive Plant-based Nutrition Guide for Families(Shah and Davis, 2020), Kick Diabetes Essentials (Davis, 2019), The Kick Diabetes Cookbook (Davis and Melina, 2018), Becoming Vegan: Comprehensive Edition (Davis and Melina, 2014) and Becoming Vegan: Express Edition (Davis and Melina, 2013). Nourish won gold in the 2020 Nautilus Book Awards and was also a Canada Book Award winner. Becoming Vegan: Comprehensive Edition won a 2014 REAL Best of 2014 Book Award and Becoming Vegan: Express Edition won the Canada Book Award and was a finalist and received honorable mention in the Foreward Book of the Year Award. Becoming Vegan: Comprehensive and Express Editions have also received a star rating by the American Library Association as the “go-to books” on plant-based nutrition. And of course Becoming RAW
Brenda has co-authored numerous professional and lay articles. She is a past chair of the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association. Brenda has been promoting plant-based diets since making the transition herself in 1989. Her personal and professional life goals are one in the same – to make this world a more sustainable, more health supportive, and kinder place. Brenda’s work focuses on ensuring that everyone who wishes to be plant-based can succeed brilliantly. In 2007, Brenda Davis was inducted into the Vegetarian Hall of Fame.
Altino Bessa holds a degree in Forestry Engineering and has combined his work as an entrepreneur with a distinguished political career. He served as a Member of Parliament for the CDS-PP (People’s Party), representing the Braga district during the 12th Legislature until 2015.
Currently serving as City Councillor in the Braga Municipal Council, he is responsible for the areas of Civil Protection and Environment. Deeply committed to environmental stewardship and sustainable governance, Altino Bessa has long been an advocate for policies that balance ecological preservation with community development.
On October 12th 2025, Altino Bessa was elected as Vice Mayor of Braga’s Municipality.
As Patron of Elevate Braga, he lends his leadership and vision to fostering dialogue and action around sustainability, environmental responsibility, and a more conscious future for the region. Altino is also the Councillor responsible for making Braga the second city in Portugal to sign the Plant Based Treaty, committing to supporting initiatives that positively impact the city’s footprint.
Ismael began his academic journey with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of Granada. Continuing his studies, he pursued a Erasmus Mundus Master in Environmental Studies, specializing in “Cities and Sustainability” across several esteemed universities. This academic pursuit culminated in a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering from the University of Aveiro.
With a solid academic foundation, Ismael transitioned into the professional sphere, focusing primarily on waste management and circular economy practices. As a Zero Waste Ambassador and Board Member at ZERO – Associação Sistema Terrestre Sustentável, he actively engaged in policy advocacy at both national and EU levels. His expertise extended to crafting Zero Waste plans for municipalities and private entities, as well as biowaste management strategies.
In his role as a Consultant at Ibérica Ambiente, Ismael provided services ranging from waste collection analysis to organizing sustainable events. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, cooking, and exploring nature, demonstrating a diverse range of interests and passions.
Ismael’s journey exemplifies a commitment to environmental sustainability and professional excellence, contributing to positive change in waste management practices.
Noel Santos
Noel Santos is a Portuguese activist who has been involved in climate and animal justice since 2007 and is recognized as one of the leaders of the animal liberation movement in Portugal.
He is the founder of Save & Care, one of the most important animal advocacy movements, responsible for rescuing hundreds of farm animals and creating a sanctuary, as well as coordinating high-profile campaigns.
Using his multifaceted experience as an organizer, educator, and advocate for sustainable lifestyles, he has strategically evolved his activism, shifting his focus to the Plant Based Treaty. This change aims to achieve systemic and global solutions, seeking a transformation in food policy to solve the climate and animal crises.
SPEAKERS
Andrew Knight is a veterinary Doctor, Educator of animal welfare affiliated with three universities including Murdoch University School of Veterinary Medicine. He is a UK, European, American and New Zealand veterinary specialist in animal welfare. His second PhD studied vegan pet diets: health, behavioural and environmental sustainability implications. His studies on vegan pet food are regularly reported in news outlets globally and have been covered by leading outlets such as New Scientist. He often works with animal advocacy charities, and is frequently interviewed by the media. He has received over 20 awards and research grants for this work.
Dr Gil Carvalho is a respected physician and research scientist with a profound depth of knowledge in nutrition and genetics. Educated as a medical doctor at the University of Lisbon and holding a PhD in Biology from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Dr. Carvalho has made significant research contributions in fields spanning molecular biology, aging, and neuroscience. He's also the creator of Nutrition Made Simple, a platform aimed at distilling complex nutrition concepts for the public. Renowned for his expertise and his dedication to clear, factual science communication, Dr Carvalho brings an insightful, evidence-based perspective on the health impacts of canola oil, unswayed by any conflicts of interest or affiliations.