Sines is the meeting point for different peoples and cultures.

The Portuguese-speaking African communities (mostly from Cape Verde) are particularly important, but Sines has been the destination of citizens from countries such as Brazil, Ukraine, Romania, Moldavia, Kosovo, etc.

The City Council’s assistance to immigrants includes support to the only established immigrants’ association in the region (the Cape Verdian Association of Sines and Santiago do Cacém) and work with these communities inside its general social and housing programmes.

The 2005 INH Award, given to the Bairro da Floresta neighbourhood, acknowledges the effort done by the City Council to bring together the many cultures (European, African, Romany) that coexist in that neighbourhood.

Apart from the assistance provided to resident immigrant communities, Sines Municipal Council has also given assistance to the locality of Santa Cruz in Cape Verde, through its twin-city policy.