As in previous years, the Centro de Artes e Espetáculos (Arts and Entertainment Center) hosted the solemn session of City Day and the awarding of honorary distinctions to various entities and personalities, promoted by the Figueira da Foz City Council at the end of the morning of June 24, the municipal holiday - São João.
The session, chaired by the mayor, Pedro Santana Lopes, was attended by the president of the Intermunicipal Community of the Region of Coimbra (CIM RC), Emílio Torrão, the mayors of Cantanhede, Arganil and Soure, the member of Parliament Ana Oliveira, various local and regional mayors, and representatives of public, military, civil and associative entities.
In his speech, Emílio Torrão left a very special word for his “fellow mayor”, Pedro Santana Lopes, for celebrating this day “with a remarkable human sense, with a program that combines solemnity and joy, always focused on those who, day after day, contribute to the growth of this city, of this county”.
For the president of the CIM RC “the impact of this executive on the history” of Figueira da Foz is already undeniable, because “with action, enthusiasm, knowledge, vision and competence, it has kept Figueira da Foz on the path of modernity, development and its affirmation on the regional and national scene”, he said.
The mayor of Montemor-o-Velho also referred to the last four years as “challenging” and praised “this executive” and the people of Figueira da Foz for their “resilient spirit” and for having managed to “overcome obstacles, political differences and invest in the quality of life of citizens, attracting a new working population, attracting investors and attracting tourists”.
“Always with a human vision of solidarity and unity” that made Figueira da Foz grow and have “a promising future ahead”, he stressed.
Emílio Torrão said that “CIM RC´s commitment to the strategy of the municipality of Figueira da Foz is strong and aligned with our [CIM RC] vision for the Region”, and expressed his commitment to “fighting side by side” for “all investments that add value and improve everyone´s lives”.
The president of the CIM RC praised “the exemplary work of the municipality”, at various levels, namely business, social, sporting, cultural and also the housing program, where it stands out at national level. He also said that he believes that investing “in science and in a Figueira City of Science and Knowledge is the right way forward”, for a Figueira that is “a university city, a city of knowledge, young, dynamic, attractive, treading new paths that we are very proud of”.
Pedro Santana Lopes began his speech with a special thank you to the mayors present, expressing his gratitude for “the honor they give us and their ability to forgive me when I don´t reciprocate on the day of their municipalities”. He also thanked the president of the CIM for his words and took the opportunity to ramble on “about the relationships between people who exercise public functions, who have different ideological orientations, but who seek to unite in setting common goals for the region they want so much”.
The mayor, elected by the Figueira a Primeira Movement, defended the idea that “given the reality of the country, Figueira has to be managed, treated, looked after and fought for as an autonomous region.” He also stressed that it is necessary to “sometimes fight for its presence”, no matter how much solidarity the inter-municipal bodies show, which he does not deny and recognizes.
Pedro Santana Lopes once again stated that Figueira da Foz is part of Portugal´s most forgotten region and that despite also being part of the CIM: "Sometimes we need a different tone in the song we sing. And sometimes we go out of tune or tune in to what is our tuning fork, but we can´t do it in relation to the general tuning fork." And it´s not because we “think we´re special”, it´s just because “we´re Figueira”, he said.
“We´re going to have to include a learning area, in which the first steps have already been taken, to train children so that they aren´t taken by surprise by these new technological capabilities and we want Figueira to be a leader in this field, as I´m sure the entire CIM is,” he stressed.
The mayor of Figueira said that “we´re going to live in times of immense revolution”, particularly with regard to Artificial Intelligence and “a whole new world that´s on the horizon”, not only for us but also for entrepreneurs.
At the end of his speech, Pedro Santana Lopes argued that “in the times in which the world is living, it´s bad for mayors, mayors, citizens who love life not to declare that their territories are lands of peace.”
“We have an obligation to put peace in a prominent place in our municipality, to pay homage to it,” because Figueira da Foz is a land with a long tradition of freedom, of fighting against all forms of oppression, said the mayor, who declared that he would propose that the town hall and the municipal assembly declare the municipality a “Land of Peace”. He also said that “just as we went to Ukraine, we should promote a campaign and a mission to try to reach the strip, the territory of the Middle East, Gaza, where so many suffer.”
“Figueira da Foz shows solidarity and we´re going to show it more and more,” said Pedro Santana Lopes.
Personalities and institutions honored: https://www.cm-figfoz.pt/pages/1010?news_id=2703
Full photo report here.
Source: https://www.figueiranahora.com