Could you briefly introduce yourself?
Hello! I am João Durão, the UNIgreen Ambassador at the Polytechnic University of Coimbra, driven by a genuine passion for Ecotourism. I see myself as someone who builds bridges. I joined UNIgreen because I believe the solutions to our planet’s biggest challenges cannot be found in isolation. As an Ambassador, my goal isn’t just to attend meetings, but to spark enthusiasm in students and colleagues about what Europe can offer them. Beyond sharing ideas, I love being someone who connects dreams to international opportunities.
Can you share a concrete way in which UNIgreen is having a positive impact?
For me, the real impact of UNIgreen isn’t in the paperwork, but in the people. The most powerful thing I have witnessed is the sense of belonging it creates. UNIgreen is turning “foreign” universities into a family of campuses. A concrete example is how we are now tackling sustainability with shared hands-on projects. When I see students from different countries “getting their hands dirty in the same soil,” sharing knowledge that textbooks alone cannot teach, I see the future changing. We are building a community where a student from Coimbra feels at home in a laboratory in Modena or Plovdiv, united by a care for nature.
What’s a lesson you’ve learned from working with such a diverse and international team?
The biggest lesson has been humility and the art of listening. Working with this diverse team taught me that there is no “single way” to view sustainability. I used to think my local approach was the norm, but hearing my colleagues share their realities opened my eyes. I learned that our differences aren’t obstacles to overcome; they are the ingredients for better solutions. It has made me a more empathetic professional, realizing that true collaboration is about understanding different perspectives.
If UNIgreen were a plant, how would you describe it?
I would describe UNIgreen as a Wildflower Meadow (polyculture). It is not a manicured lawn where every blade of grass is the same. Instead, it is a mixture of different species, each with different colors and needs. Yet, they thrive together because they support each other; some fix nitrogen for the soil, others attract bees for pollination. Just like us! We are different institutions, but growing together makes us more resilient to pests and storms than we ever would be as a monoculture.
