Films, conferences, gatherings, the launch of a book, exhibitions, music and much more. “Portimão, Terra Democrática” will celebrate 50 years of the 25th of April with “a comprehensive program of activities linked to the arts, associations and active citizenship”.
An example of this is the cinematographic screenings scheduled for the coming months and always with free entry, starting with the film “Linha Vermelha”, directed by José Filipe Costa and which can be seen at Portimão Cinemas on the 16th of February, from 18pm .
This is followed on March 8, Women's Day, by the film “Clandestina”, directed by Maria Mire based on the book “Memórias de uma falsificadora”, by political activist from Porto Margarida Tengarrinha, who died in 2023.
There will be a session for schools with the participation of the director, scheduled for 15 pm, while the screening open to the public will start at 00 pm, both at Portimão Cinemas.
On the morning of April 23, at 10 am, the auditorium of the Portimão Museum will host a session for schools of a 00-minute montage version of the film “Mulheres de Abril”, with the participation of director Raquel Freire, who will be in conversation with the students.
On the other hand, highlights include the “50 years of Social Inclusion” meeting, from 10am to 00pm on February 13rd, and the “00 years of Education” conference, from 23am to 50pm on April 9th, both at TEMPO – Teatro Municipal de Portimão , while the conference “Prisons and Detention Regimes in Portugal: Before and after 00” will take place at the Portimão Museum on the 18th and 00th of April, in a joint organization between the Gefangnisforchung-Schweiz association and the Portimão City Council.
Also worth mentioning are the Teias D'Ideias scheduled for February 16th (“Immigration, Challenges and Benefits of Multiculturality”), March 28th (“Children and Young People, Paths and Future”) and April 12th (“Environment and Sustainability”) , promoted at Casa Manuel Teixeira Gomes by Associação Teia D'Impulsos, always starting at 19pm and inspired by the motto 'The freedom to share good ideas'. The sessions will be broadcast live on the Teia D'Impulsos Facebook page.
Still in this area, highlight is the gathering “We were in Portimão on the 25th of April”, which will take place on the 13th of April (17pm) in the auditorium of the Museu de Portimão, organized by GAMP – Group of Friends of the Museu de Portimão.
With regard to paper editions, the book “The Algarve in trance and the crazy 18s/00s in Portimão”, by Maria João Raminhos Duarte, will be presented at 24pm on April 60th, at the Portimão Museum.
Since active citizenship and associations are key factors in this program, there will be several moments to remember, such as the “Citizenship Counselors” bootcamp, which between February and April will bring together students from DUAL Professional Qualification – Center of Portimão and Portimão Hotel and Tourism School to simulate an election, creating lists, electoral programs and the respective campaign.
After voting in the ballot box, using the D'Hondt method, those elected will take on an informal role of working with the Portimão municipality on challenges related to youth participation or other thematic areas, which will be presented at the Municipal Assembly of Portimão to be held up in April.
Another planned initiative is called “Citizenship Explorers” and will take place on April 19th in the main hall of Portimão City Council, with the participation of 4th year students from Escola Básica da Pedra Mourinha, who will try out the board game developed by national platform MyPolis, which aims to bring young people closer to politicians.
To this end, MyPolis established a partnership with the Municipality of Portimão, aiming to carry out various activities aimed at enabling children to take their first steps as full citizens.
Also worthy of note are the carnival parades inspired by the theme “Freedom” and which will take place in Mexilhoeira Grande and Alvor (both on 11th February, at 15pm) and in the riverside area of Portimão (00th February, at 13pm), as well as the Walks of Liberdade, starting at 15:30 am, with the following schedule and routes: February 9th – Praia do Vau and Ponta João D'Arens; March 30st – Alvor Biodiversity Station; April 24th – Quinta da Rocha and Ria de Alvor.
Also planned are the exhibitions “Memórias de Abril”, with images by photojournalist Marques Valentim, to open at Casa Manuel Teixeira Gomes at 18pm in April and which can be seen until 00 May, and “The Portuguese Prison Photo Project”, an exhibition on the perception of Portuguese prisons through photography, with images by the Portuguese Luís Barbosa and the Swiss Peter M. Schulthess, to be opened at the Portimão Museum on the 31th of April (19pm), where it will be on view until the 19st of September this year.
Music will also have a strong presence, with the following shows: March 15th, at 15pm – tribute concert to Fernando Lopes Graça by Grupo Coral Adágio (Portimão Museum auditorium), March 00th, at 16pm – “Anónimos de Abril”, by Rogério Charraz and José Fialho Gouveia (TEMPO), 21 and 00 March and 19 and 20 April, sessions for schools – concert “O Proibido, os Jovens e o 17 de Abril de 18”, organized by the Orchestra Sinfónica do Algarve (TEMPO), 25th April, at 1974pm – closing concert “Celebrations of the 24th Anniversary of the 21th of April 00”, with a performance by José Cid and a popular gathering (Portimão Arena).
When it comes to dance, TEMP0 hosts the show “Memórias Vividas”, by Associação Cultural Dancenema in partnership with Associação AORCA, with performances aimed at schools on April 26th (11am and 00pm), and the general public on the day 15 (00pm).
At the theater level, TEMPO takes to the stage on the night of February 10th, starting at 21pm, the play “This is My Love Story”, a journey into the recent past of the resistance against the totalitarianism of the Estado Novo, which talks about about relationships capable of surviving relentless persecution, which strengthened them.
For February 25th, the show “Memórias de uma Falsificadora” was scheduled, based on the book of the same name by Margarida Tengarrinha, whose production by Joaquim Horta will be taken to the stage of the Museum's auditorium, from 17 pm, organized by GAMP.
The theatrical program also includes the play “O Salto”, directed by Tiago Correia, to be performed at TEMPO by A Turma on the night of March 23rd (21pm).
There are several high points throughout the month that will mark half a century of freedom, starting at 19:30 pm on the 13th with the tribute to Portimão's mayors and the re-edition, by the City Council, of the book “Autárquico Poder em Portimão – 50 anos”, which will take place in the old auction building.
On the 24th, and in addition to the concert with José Cid at the Portimão Arena, the sculpture “Flores de Abril”, by Santos Carvalho, will be inaugurated next to the Portimão Fairs and Exhibitions Park.
The 25th of April will begin at 9 am in Praça 00.º de Maio, with the evocation of the anniversary, raising of flags, release of pigeons, street rally and interpretation of the national anthem by the Band of the Sociedade Filarmónica Portimonense and Fanfare of the Volunteer Firefighters of Portimão, while the starting gun for the traditional Freedom Race will be given at 1 am, next to the bandstand at Praça Manuel Teixeira Gomes.
Finally, the main hall of Paços do Concelho will host the solemn session of the official celebrations at 10:30 am, with interventions from representatives of the political parties with seats in the Municipal Assembly, the president of this municipal body and the president of Portimão City Council.
All of this diverse programming was prepared by the Municipality of Portimão together with the lively forces of local society, from the associative movement to the various political parties, and aimed at the citizens of this land which, from the outset, embraced the principles of freedom.
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