VILA VERDE – Embroiderers from Vila Verde create a Valentine’s scarf that highlights female emancipation after April 25th

Aliança Artesanal, in Vila Verde, presented this Tuesday a Valentine’s scarf commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April, which mainly highlights the emancipation of women after the fall of the dictatorship. The “Lenço de Abril” contains part of an iconic song by Zeca Afonso.

“This scarf is a tribute that our embroiderers want to pay to April 25th and also symbolizes the achievements that women have obtained in this period of 50 years of democracy”, explained the vice-president of the Chamber of Vila Verde, Manuel Lopes, on the sidelines of the ceremony.

The mayor highlighted the fact that women were able to leave the “obscurity in which they lived under the old regime”. “They have gained an autonomy and independence that is remarkable, despite the path that still needs to be taken for women to achieve true equality before men”, he noted.

According to Manuel Lopes, the lovers’ scarves, with a “great capacity to adapt to circumstances and renew themselves”, also symbolize women’s affirmation. “This is a very simple message, but very representative and with a lot of meaning”, reinforced the vice-president of the Vila Verde Chamber.

In the same vein, the president of the municipality of Terras de Bouro, Manuel Tibo, highlighted the importance of combining the evocation of April 25th and female emancipation with the appreciation of local traditions, as is the case with the creation of Valentine’s scarves.

“There is still a way to go in terms of equality between men and women, but a lot has already been covered, especially due to the great resistance and perseverance of women”, summarized the Terrabourense mayor.

The scarf, which was presented at the Centro de Dinamização Artesanal, in Vila Verde, has an excerpt from “Grândola Vila Morena”, by Zeca Afonso, which is one of the main icons of April 25, 1974. The session featured a moment musical by the Escola de Música de Terras de Bouro, with professor Luís Pinho and students Beatriz Santos and Sarah Silva.