The first Living Science Center to be opened in the country, the Algarve, in Faro, will be renamed Mariano Gago, who died last friday.
The former socialist governor was the main driver of these spaces for scientific dissemination among the population and inaugurated the CCV of Faro, in 1997, as Minister of Science and Technology.
The Chamber of Faro unanimously approved a proposal by the mayor of the municipality Rogério Bacalhau, which determines that the municipality, as a member of the association that manages the Centro Ciência Viva do Algarve, propose at the next General Assembly the rename of the space to «Centro Ciência Viva do Algarve José Mariano Gago».
“We've already talked to the other partners and it's peaceful. Everyone recognizes the merit of José Mariano Gago», he revealed to the Sul Informação Rogerio Cod. The next GA "should take place as early as May".
The social-democratic mayor, in the proposal he made at the executive meeting, stressed that he wanted to pay «a fair tribute, as public recognition, to one of the men who did the most for the development of Science in Portugal».
In the framework text of the proposal he presented, Rogério Bacalhau recalls this «reference Portuguese scientist and researcher», who was part of Socialist Governments between 1995 and 2002, and 2005 and 2011, remembering that he was the one who created the program of the Ciência Viva Centers in Portugal, “which promoted a real democratization of access to scientific knowledge”.
The mayor of Faro he ended up deprived, several times, with Mariano Gago, as director of the Pinheiro e Rosa Secondary School, a position he held for many years.
Over time, it ended up creating a closer relationship with the then minister. «He came to the Algarve many times and, of course, when you meet people, they leave a mark. He was a very humble person, very close, who liked to talk about science», he recalled.
«I remember the Astronomy Clubs in schools, promoted by Mariano Gago. At Pinheiro e Rosa we had one and developed several activities», he added.
In addition to personal marks, Mariano Gago left institutional marks. And they were also very strong, in Faro, since it was in the Algarve capital that the first Portuguese Living Science Center was inaugurated, on August 3, 1997.
«Mariano Gago has remarkably boosted and marked Portuguese science in recent decades, contributing decisively, as president of the Foundation for Science and Technology and Minister of Science, to the development of the national scientific system in many of its aspects», summarized Rogério Bacalhau.
The proposal approved by the councilors of the PSD/CDS-PP, PS and CDU coalition of the Chamber of Faro it also contemplated a posthumous vow of praise to José Mariano Gago.
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