A respected academic with a career spanning four decades, a renowned researcher and thinker about tourism, but also a family man. João Albino Silva received the Career Award of the Algarve delegation of the Order of Economists, at a ceremony where the academy was well represented, among peers of the honoree and former or current students, but also the tourism sector, which benefited greatly from the work of the Full Professor of Economics at the Faculty of Economics (FE ) of the University of the Algarve.
In a ceremony with many surprises, which left João Albino Silva visibly moved – and there was only no more, namely remote interventions by Professor Ferreira do Amaral and the President of the Economists Association, due to the total failure of the Internet, at the UAlg Campus of Gambelas (Faro) -, there was room for (many) professional and personal praise for the honoree, but also for a «fantastic lesson» on the path to take to have better tourism in the future.
On the platform where he spoke and then in statements to the Sul Informação, João Albino Silva explained his vision for the future of tourism.
“We are not interested in just having a prosperous region where people have more money. It is essential that, in addition, the Algarve is an inclusive region, in which everyone participates and benefits from the effort, and which, from an environmental point of view, is sustainable. In other words, look at our natural resources, at the beaches and at the interior of the region», the UAlg Full Professor told our newspaper.
“These are three absolutely crucial aspects, so that the future is guaranteed. It is necessary to think in this way, from the point of view of complexity in analytical terms, but also from the normative point of view, from the ethical point of view, of us doing today what we have to do to guarantee new generations a better future», he summed up.
After all, this party was also from different generations and had a strong family character. One of the surprises, this consummated and which had the collaboration of the Sul Informação, was the reading, by Luís Serra Coelho, president of the Algarve delegation of the OE, of a message that was sent by the two sisters, the brother and brothers-in-law of João Albino Silva who live in the United States of America.
This tribute arose from the contact of a family member of João Albino with the Sul Informação, asking the newspaper to act as an intermediary and ensure that a message from the family was read during the ceremony.
And that's what happened yesterday (see message, in English, below).
This testimony was joined by that of João Albino's wife and children, the first in person and the second via a video message sent on the spot and which it was still possible to show, despite the technical problems.
“It was very moving”, confessed João Albino.
«I am the son of emigrants. This means, as it turns out, that my brothers went to the United States of America as children – I went to Lisbon to study. Thus, although they speak Portuguese, colloquially, they expressed themselves here in what became their language, English. But we are very close, being far away», he continued.
«As my son who spoke here, who is in Lisbon, used to say, the family is a fundamental pillar in the humanity of our relationships. I would say that a committed, sensitive and attentive citizen must have at least one double concern: supporting his family and supporting his region, his country. These are two duties of citizenship that we must never forget», believes the winner of the Career Award from the Algarve delegation of the 2020 Economists Association.
As for the award itself, it recognizes the distinguished «career dedicated to serving the public cause of the university professor, who is also president of the Scientific Council and director of the PhD program in Tourism at the FE, as well as a researcher at the Center for Research in Tourism , Sustainability and Well-Being of UAlg».
Without the possibility of hearing the scheduled commentary on the honoree, which would be made by João Ferreira do Amaral, there was no shortage of those who insisted on doing justice to the career and the man of the moment.
One of the compliments came from the former dean and also Professor of the Faculty of Economics João Guerreiro, who, more than the quality and importance of the work developed by João Albino Silva at UAlg and in favor of tourism, highlighted "his serenity and solidarity", two characteristics that, he considers, define him as a man.
João Fernandes, president of Algarve Tourism, and Vítor Neto, president of NERA – Business Association of the Algarve Region and former Secretary of State for Tourism, highlighted the strong contribution made by the professor and researcher to the development of the sector in Portugal, as well. as in the training of specialized staff for the sector.
Luís Coelho, now a professor at the University of Algarve, was a student of João Albino Silva and made a point of leaving his own praise.
«Professor João Albino has done an absolutely monumental job in the area of tourism», considered the now regional leader of the Order of Economists.
«As your former student, thank you teacher. It left a mark that will not be forgotten», praised Luís Coelho.
Message from the North American family of João Albino Silva:
Photos: Hugo Rodrigues | Sul Informação
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