The Córtex School Bag project, developed by researchers at ciTechCare – Center for Innovative Care and Health Technology, has been shortlisted for the Alzheimer Europe Anti-Stigma Award 2026, selected from more than 80 applications submitted across Europe. This year’s edition focuses on the theme “Music and Dementia” and recognises initiatives that use music to promote a more positive and inclusive understanding of dementia.

Córtex School Bag combines stories, music, games and experiential activities to help children understand ageing and dementia in an accessible, sensitive and scientifically informed way, thereby contributing to the fight against dementia-related stigma from an early age. The project’s key resources include the musical picture book Quando a fábrica da avó avaria… (When Grandma’s Factory Breaks Down…), the educational game NeuroMania, a support guide for teachers, and a range of activities designed for school and intergenerational settings.

As part of the project, the article “Promoting dementia awareness in Portuguese primary schools: A quasi-experimental pre–post study using the KIDS and adapted Todaro instruments”, published in the European Journal of Educational Research, analyzed the effects of an educational intervention based on Córtex School Bag resources. The intervention primarily consisted of a 90-minute session focused on storytelling and music, followed by 45 minutes of interaction with the NeuroMania game. The findings revealed favourable trends across dimensions relevant to the inclusion of people living with dementia, including reduced discomfort with interpersonal contact, greater confidence in interacting with them, and a stronger willingness to help.

At the award ceremony, which will take place on 28 October 2026 in Dublin, as part of the Alzheimer Europe Annual Conference, the three finalist projects will be announced, while the other selected initiatives will receive an honourable mention.

About the project: https://agilidades.pt/cortex-school-bag/

About the event: https://www.alzheimer-europe.org/our-work/anti-stigma-award/anti-stigma-award-2026?language_content_entity=en