The invocations of April 25, 1974 will have their greatest focus this Thursday in Lisbon, namely at the Assembly of the Republic and the parade on Avenida da Liberdade, but the entire country is celebrating with initiatives to mark the “initial” day. , whole and clean.”
“This is the dawn I’ve been waiting for/The early day whole and clear/Where we emerge from the night and the silence/And free we inhabit the substance of time.” – Poetic words by Sophia de Mello Breyner written 50 years ago, on the day that Portugal, on the initiative of a group of young captains, put an end to a 48-year political dictatorship. This Thursday, across the country, Sophia’s words will sound thousands of times as a sign that the harpsichords of 1974 are today’s poetry and tomorrow’s dream. There are thousands of initiatives prepared so that memory is never erased in the substance of time. Highlights include the ceremonies in Parliament with political speeches from all parties, with special attention to what will be delivered by the President of the Republic.
The program of the Commemorative Commission for the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April begins with a military ceremony at Terreiro do Paço, in Lisbon, with the presence of the President of the Republic.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa then goes to the Assembly of the Republic, starting at 11:30 am, to watch and close the traditional solemn session commemorating the Carnation Revolution.
To mark in parliament the passage of half a century since the coup d’état that put an end to the dictatorship of Oliveira Salazar and Marcello Caetano, the PS, Chega, Initiative Liberal, BE, PCP and Livre chose their leaders to speak.
The PSD, the party chaired by the current prime minister, Luís Montenegro, who attends but does not speak at the session, took a different option and will place the young deputy Ana Gabriela Cabilhas, 27 years old, on the speakers’ platform.
In the case of the CDS-PP, a political force led by the Minister of Defense, Nuno Melo, the president of the parliamentary group, Paulo Núncio, was appointed.
As usual, the interventions will follow the ascending order of parliamentary representation with the first speech being given to the PAN deputy, Inês de Sousa Real, followed by Paulo Núncio (CDS), Rui Tavares (Livre), Paulo Raimundo (PCP, Mariana Mortágua (Left Bloc), Rui Rocha (Liberal Initiative), André Ventura (Chega), Pedro Nuno Santos (PS) and Ana Gabriela Cabilhas and ending with the president of parliament, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
At the end of the solemn session, the President of the Republic goes to the Noble Hall of parliament to visit the exhibition, entitled “A Nós a Liberdade”, organized with the Arpad Szenes-Vieira da Silva Foundation and which was officially inaugurated on Tuesday -fair.
In the afternoon, parliament opens its doors to the public for a free program that includes exhibitions, theater and music.
The Prime Minister also marks the anniversary of the 25th of April at a lunch with 50 young people from different areas, from culture to sport or volunteering, at the official residence of S. Bento, which will be open to the public from 3:30 pm with a cultural program which included a musical performance by António Zambujo.
The President of the Republic will open Belém Palace to the public and will be, from 6pm, in a ceremony with his counterparts from Portuguese-speaking countries at the Centro Cultural de Belém, in Lisbon, which in addition to the revolution itself will celebrate independence of those countries. The Prime Minister will also be present at this session.
In the afternoon, the usual parade will take place on Avenida da Liberdade, which will bring together political leaders and this year will feature the symbolic presence of the President of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar Branco.
Terreiro do Paço will be a central point of the official celebrations, hosting from 9:40 am a historical recreation of the “Operation end of regime”, which began the day before at the Escola Técnica de Cavalaria, in Santarém.
A replica of the column commanded by captain Salgueiro Maia, who left Santarém towards Lisbon 50 years ago, arrives at Terreiro do Paço in time to parade before Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and other entities.
The old Army vehicles will remain in Terreiro do Paço until 12:00 p.m., providing citizens with interaction with the April military personnel present.
