The Portuguese Business Association (AEP) celebrated 175 years of existence, on the 3rd. The program included a tribute to one of the main founders of the Portuense Industrial Association (predecessor of AEP), José Vitorino Damásio.
The tribute, held next to the statue of the businessman, engineer and teacher, was attended by the president of the Porto City Council, Rui Moreira, as well as the presidents of the general council and the board of directors of AEP, José Manuel Fernandes and Luís Miguel Ribeiro, respectively.
This Saturday, another ceremony took place, presided over by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and in which the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, and other members of the current government participated, in addition to around 200 guests, including associates, and several other personalities.
The highlight of this dinner occurred at the end of the intervention by the President of the Republic when Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa decorated AEP as an Honorary Member of the Military Order of Christ, with this distinction being received by the presidents and governing bodies of the association, Paula Roque, José Manuel Fernandes, Luís Miguel Ribeiro and Alberto de Castro.
It was on May 3, 1849 that, fulfilling the wishes of a group of industrialists, the Portuense Industrial Association (AIP) was established by José Vitorino Damásio, Faria de Guimarães and José da Silva Passos, among others, to “develop industry, instruct the laboring classes, introduce among us mutual assistance and the improvement of the condition of the workers and all the legal advantages that industry can obtain from such a meeting“.
