The 12th IGOT Geography Teachers' Conference, which took place from the 3rd to the 5th of July 2024, saw the participation of over 100 geography teachers. While most participants were from the Lisbon area, it is noteworthy that teachers from across the country, from north to south, also took part, highlighting the unique appeal of this event in the national landscape of continuous professional development for geography teachers.

A significant change this year was that the conference was held in July for the first time, rather than in September, which allowed for greater participation from teachers.

The programme featured contributions from several senior geography teachers on various topics, as well as younger teachers who shared their activities with those from primary and secondary education: Gonçalo Vieira discussed the latest research on permafrost; Jorge Malheiros examined demographic sustainability; José Luís Zêzere addressed "Geohazards"; and António Lopes analysed "Local Climate Zones" with a focus on the direct importation of Anglo-Saxon terminology.

For the first time, Luís Mendes spoke on "Gentrification and Housing Crisis," and César Capinha explored "The Impact of Human Activity on the Global Redistribution of Species." Additionally, Miguel Neiva from ColorADD and Rogério Madeira from Mafra City Council discussed the use of colour in documents, particularly cartographic materials for the colour-blind. Sérgio Claudino, in turn, explored "Geographical Education in Portugal in the 21st Century: Paradigms, Problems, and Potentials."

As usual, the final day of the conference included a field trip. This year, the trip was to the Setúbal Peninsula, where participants examined the impacts of climate change and socio-spatial dynamics in this Lisbon Metropolitan Area territory, while also considering future developments, including the planned construction of a new Lisbon airport.

Just as last year’s participants braved the heavy rain in the early morning, this year's attendees withstood the sometimes intense sun and heat. Such is the nature of geographers and their conferences.

Text: Sérgio Claudino