July 19 will mark the official opening of the Museu Aristides de Sousa Mendes in Carregal do Sal, at a ceremony presided over by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Aristides de Sousa Mendes Museum to be inaugurated on July 19
The announcement was made by the mayor of Carregal do SalPaulo Catalino Ferraz, who said: "The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has sent me a letter in which he tells me that, if there is no extraordinary international event, he will be delighted to preside over the inauguration ceremony of this museum."
The inauguration ceremony will take place on July 19, the anniversary of Aristides de Sousa's birth (1885), as confirmed by the mayor of Carregal do Sal.
"We had a very difficult task, which was to finalize the physical work and museography in time for the anniversary opening. But we succeeded, and we already have confirmation and a guarantee that it will be July 19," he said.
Paulo Catalino Ferraz stressed that this would be a "very important day" for the municipality, and also hoped to count on the presence of the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, as well as other national and foreign entities.
"The gardens, which we had planned to open later, will also be inaugurated on that day and we will succeed in inaugurating both spaces on the same day, which makes us very happy and is a deserved tribute to Aristides de Sousa," added the mayor.
The 19th will also see a performance by the Orquestra Clássica do Centro in the gardens of the Casa do Passal, with the participation of numerous solo voices, including some of national renown.
The day before, on July 18, at a reception for the family of Aristides de Sousa and descendants of the refugees, the Contracanto will present the musical "Aristides" in tribute to the diplomat.
From July 20, the museum will be open to the public, and school visits are already being organized in collaboration with schools, to introduce them to the example of the consul from Cabanas de Viriato, in Carregal do Sal.
The museum, which will feature a permanent exhibition as well as two exhibition rooms, will be open to the public.temporary exhibitionsThe museum will also host exhibitions from museums in the cities where Aristides de Sousa lived, as well as Holocaust-themed exhibitions once or twice a year.
Paulo Catalino Ferraz declined to reveal the new museum's direction, simply stating that the person chosen has an excellent reputation in the field of museology.
The inauguration coincides with the municipality's festivities, which this year return to the "old nine-day model", from July 14 to 22.
