Rome, 6^th August within the scope of its cooperation programme and the visits it pays to NOCs, IOC Olympic Solidarity sent a delegation composed of members of the Lausanne and the European Continental Offices to Portugal for a second visit to a European NOC this July.

Following a recent visit to the NOC of Albania, the OS Team was this time in Lisbon from 30^th July to 1^st August to gain a better understanding how sport works in Portugal and so better plan aid to the NOC.

OS Deputy Director Pamela Vipond and Gianluca De Angelis from the OS Continental Office in Rome were able to join the NOCs monthly EB meeting at the very nice and highly functional new HQ.

The delegation then met Secretary General José Manuel Araújo and his team, and held meetings with the heads of the various departments, including Catarina Monteiro of International Relations, Marco Alves of the Sports Department, Adélio Costa  of the Financial Department, and João Malha of Communications, but also spoke at length with the Presidents Chief of Staff João Paulo Almeida, who is in charge of Olympic Solidarity projects.

Whilst in Lisbon, the delegation also met NOC President José Manuel Constantino, the presidents of several federations, members of various commissions, and in particular the Athletes Commission, and also took time out to greet Fernando Lima Bello, the NOCs previous president.

The trip ended with a visit to the Rio Maior National Training Centre, about a hundred kilometres from the capital, and a meeting with Professor Fernanda Rollo of Lisbons New University who illustrated a project on the promotion of Olympic values.

All in all, the visit was highly productive, allowing the OS delegation to gain firsthand experience of what the NOC is currently doing.