Good morning and welcome to PORTUGAL DECODED. Sunday is Cinco de Mayo in some corners of the world. In Portugal, it's Mother's Day and World Portuguese Language Day. Time to mix it all together?
POLITICS
On a state visit to Cape Verde, President Marcelo doubled down on his colonial reparations’ statements, but said that Portugal is already paying them (More).
Defense Minister Nuno Melo suggested that petty criminals do military service instead of going to prison, a move that some compared to Putin’s recruitment of war volunteers from Russian prisons (More).
SOCIETY
Police arrested four people in Bragança for enslaving a man for 17 years. The police said the 54-year-old man suffered physical and psychological abuse and was the victim of labour exploitation, including being “rented” out for work (More).
Portugal will have nearly 400 Blue Flag beaches in 2024, eight more than in 2023. It is now the second country in the world with the highest number of award-winning river beaches (More).
ECONOMICS
Portugal's GDP grew 1.4% in the first quarter of 2024 year-on-year, while inflation is estimated to have decreased to 2.2% in April 2024 (More).
Portugal was among the main winners of the EU’s first hydrogen bank €720m auction. The two selected Portuguese projects, one by Galp and the other by Madoquapower2X, are located in Sines (More).
CULTURE AND SPORTS
Portuguese authors are on high demand at the Buenos Aires Book Fair. Fernando Pessoa, Eça de Queirós and José Saramago are the most popular among the classics, whereas Lídia Jorge’s books have sold out in the first week (More).
Photojournalist Alfredo Cunha, who took some of the most iconic images of the Carnation Revolution, has been immortalised on a tile panel in Amadora by Portuguese street artist Vhils (More).
IN FOCUS
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TIPS OF THE WEEK
Lisbon
Jardins Abertos 2024
Secret gardens, rare collections, community projects, vegetable gardens, cloisters and palaces are revealed and discovered through this unique festival designed to stimulate the five senses. Since the first edition when 80 people attended, the “Open Gardens” festival has grown to welcome 23,000 people in 2023. Full program here.
FeLiCidade Festival
Bringing together two celebrations, the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution and World Portuguese Language Day, FeLiCidade - Festival of Language and Freedom in the City, seeks a dialogue between the countries that use the Portuguese language, exploring literature, music, cinema and the stage. Dozens of speakers and listeners from all over the world will come to CCB help to reflect on "a relationship of hundreds of years, to discuss the plurality of roots and identities, without erasing the complexity, violence and exclusion of history".
The Beach Happening by Aníce.
Munich-based design Studio & Community Aníce. is back to Praia do Irmão at Costa da Caparica, on Friday, May 10, for another unforgetable Happening. With thermometers set to hit 30C at the end of next week, this promises to be the perfect kickoff for summer 2024. Dinner + Night tickets include a delicious community meal on the beach, drinks, and a chance to dance the night away with DJs from Munich, Vienna and Lisbon. The code ‘PORTUGALDECODED’ offers a 30% discount on the first 20 Dinner + Night tickets and the first 20 Night tickets.
Porto
Tram Parade
15 historic trams will parade along Porto's waterfront on Saturday May 4 between 3-6 pm. They will travel between Passeio Alegre Garden and Infante, stopping at the Tramcar Museum, where they will start and where there will be music. With the purchase of a single ticket, the public can embark on a unique panoramic journey in one of the vehicles. Tickets will be on sale at the museum from 30 April until 3 May, between 10am and 6pm, and on the day of the initiative, from 2.30pm. Adult tickets cost 8€, while under-18s and seniors will be priced at 5€.
Álvaro Siza: My Favourite Building
The International Committee of Architectural Critics (CICA) will honour Pritzker-award winner Álvaro Siza on May 6, 6.30 PM, at the Serralves Foundation. The event will feature an introduction by CICA President, Prof. Dr. h.c. Wilfried Wang, followed by a talk between Professor Ana Tostões and Álvaro Siza, where he will address his favourite building in order to answer the questions: Should a building be a world onto itself? Or should it relate to its context? Do the best buildings achieve both: create their own order and language while also addressing and even shaping their environment? Tickets 1.5-3€ available here.
Elsewhere
Out Jazz Oeiras
Starting on May 5 and until September 29, on Sundays, between 5-9pm, the Out Jazz festival will bring 22 concerts to five gardens and green spaces in Oeiras. Over four months filled with good music and relaxation, with an eclectic range of music, from soul to jazz, R&B and electronic music, in a line-up composed of national and international artists, with particular emphasis on Portuguese Jazz. And the best of all, entrance is free.
Madeira Flower Festival
The main festivities start on Saturday morning, May 4, with a Children’s Parade to the Town Hall Square, where a flower mural is built. On Sunday afternoon, May 5, the streets of downtown Funchal will be filled with the music, colour and soft aromas, of a sumptuous parade comprised by several floats. Alongside these events, a set of ludic and recreational activities will take place, such as the display of floral carpets along the main streets of Funchal, concerts, folklore performances, and a flower exhibition.
One more thing
On June 10, Portugal celebrates its National Day. To celebrate the occasion, PORTUGAL DECODED invites young writers, aged 12 to 18 years old, to tells us what they think makes Portugal special? The winning essay will be featured on this newsletter and our website, and its author will receive a fantastic, handcrafted wood balance board by designers Abaeté. Follow this link for full guidelines and rules.
