The Algarve – and the Algarve – who stand out in the area of culture, citizenship and gender equality can once again be awarded this year with the Maria Veleda Prize, created by the Regional Directorate of Culture of the Algarve and which, in its first edition, in 2015, awarded Margarida Tengarrinha.
Alexandra Rodrigues Gonçalves, regional director of Culture, explains that «this is an award that we even consider as a career award, because it seeks to distinguish an Algarve personality – man or woman - who has a relevant contribution in several areas» linked to Culture.
Although the award also intends to make a contribution to the measure «Women creators of culture», recommended in the V National Plan for Gender Equality, Citizenship and Non-Discrimination, taking place in the 2014-2017 period, the candidacies can be both women, as of men.
“That will depend a lot on the applications that emerge. If you are a man who has a relevant job in the cultural dimension and in promoting gender equality and equal opportunities, he will also be considered. There was a coincidence that, in the first year of the award, there was the candidacy of Margarida Tengarrinha, which was in fact a top opening and which set the bar very high", admitted Alexandra Gonçalves, in an interview with the program «Impressions, promoted by Sul Informação and by Rádio Universitária do Algarve.
The Maria Veleda Award, this year in its second edition, thus proposes to highlight and recognize a cultural activity of Algarve personalities with a long cultural and civic career, protagonists of particularly relevant and innovative interventions in the Algarve region.
The Prize includes projects and activities that stand out in the context of citizenship and gender equality, or combating social exclusion, combating desertification in the interior of the region, education through art, valuing the intangible heritage, through the preservation of traditions. , memories and identity, in the revitalization of historic centers and buildings, as well as in the development of multidisciplinary, multicultural projects and also network projects.
Applications, which cannot be submitted by themselves, are open until 9 September. Alexandra Gonçalves revealed that “one candidacy has already been submitted”, but hopes that many more will appear.
«We would like the Algarve to show that it has strong personalities in the cultural field, who deserve to be recognized, and that this recognition be done through this award instituted by the Regional Directorate of Culture».
In her interview with the radio program “Impressions”, the official took the opportunity to explain that “the prize is annual, applications are presented annually, and those that are not considered in one year do not automatically go to the following year”. In addition, «we do not reveal the names of the candidates other than the one of the winner, so that there are no constraints».
Bearing in mind that “applications cannot be submitted by themselves, but by other people”, the initiative must come from the community, he stressed. The emergence of candidacies “relies a lot on the community's voluntarism, and on the others wanting to reward someone”, among the Algarveans who, whether in the region or outside it, have distinguished themselves.
After last year the Prize was not awarded, mainly because there were only two applications, this time the Regional Directorate of Culture wants to make the «greater diffusion», mainly because «the Algarve has many people doing relevant work that deserves to be awarded».
Any person or regional institution, public or private, may submit proposals for the Award to the Regional Directorate of Culture of the Algarve – Rua Professor António Pinheiro e Rosa, nº 1, 8005 – 546 Faro. Self-proposals, as mentioned above, are not accepted.
The jury is composed of Alexandra Rodrigues Gonçalves (Regional Director of Culture of the Algarve), Ana Paula Amendoeira (Regional Director of Culture of the Alentejo), António Branco (Rector of the University of Algarve), Idálio Revez (journalist), José Carlos Barros (architect landscape artist), Lídia Jorge (writer), Mirian Nogueira Tavares (teacher and researcher), Natividade Monteiro (teacher and researcher) and Paulo Cunha (teacher).
The Prize consists of a commemorative medal and a cash endowment, this year of 5000 euros.
To know the Regulation in full click here.
To know the Application form click here.
Click here to listen to the full interview with the program «Impressions».
The program «Impressions», which was broadcast on Wednesday, is back on the air, on FM STREET, on Saturday, the 18th, at noon.
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