APCEP – the Portuguese Association for Lifelong Culture and Education – is a legal entity which is entirely independent from established powers, political parties or churches, whose primary aim lies on the promotion of lifelong learning and cultural development. Ultimately APCEP intends to actively contribute in the implementation of an “educational society” in Portugal – for everyone, at all stages of life and in every quarter of society.

APCEP assumes its important tasks in the promotion of civic education and of active and participatory democracy, by encouraging citizens to take part in a whole range of public, social, educational, cultural, scientific, artistic and environmental activities.

APCEP has been created in 1982 in order to promote the concept and the practices of Éducation Permanente, seen as a coherent system of values, principles, policies, methodologies, contents and structures championed and implemented by the State, the organised Civil Society and concerned individuals in order to guarantee the right of all citizens to a process of personal enhancement in every stage of their lives and in all spheres of society. In accordance with the APCEP Manifesto, the concept of Lifelong Education and its underlying philosophy assume that the fulfilment of each human being, within the context of a fair and open society, requires the full access to, fruition of and participation in the various approaches for improving attitudes, knowledge, skills, cultural awareness, ecological understanding or active citizenship.

During its initial years, APCEP has gathered nearly 400 collective and individual members, issued a Journal, organised several meetings – namely the 1st National Adult Education Conference and established international links with, among others, the International Council of Adult Education and the Ligue de l’Enseignement et de l’Éducation Permanente. Afterwards, due to the lack of available time from its voluntary leading members, APCEP underwent a long period of lethargy until the Summer of 2014 when it was finally reanimated by a group of its founder members.

Following a successful campaign for enrolling new members and motivating old ones, a General Assembly took place last December in order to define short- and long-term priorities and to elect the statutory bodies.

An Action Plan for 2015-2016 has now been produced and approved in a General Assembly. The following activities should be underlined:

- Organisation of a National Conference of Permanent Education on 29-30 April, in Lisbon.
- Setting up “Local Circles” of members having in view a closer cooperation among practitioners, educators and researchers.
- Creation of “Thematic Circles” aiming at the exchange of practices, ideas, opinions and information, thus leading to the joint production of “APCEP booklets”.
- Establishment of an internet site and a more active presence in the Social Networks. At present APCEP runs a FaceBook page besides a recently created website.
- Co-operation with national, European and international kindred organisations in order to implement innovative and relevant projects within the domain of Lifelong Education and Learning. In June 2015, APCEP became an Ordinary Member of EAEA, the European Association for Adult Education.

Contact: apcep2014@gmail.com
Website: http://www.apcep.pt