The mural, crafted by artist and illustrator Frio renowned for his focus on social and environmental themes, will be located on Rua Fidalgo Aprendiz, next to Jardim do Vale.
The painting will commence at 4:30 PM and invites community involvement.
Organized by Portuguese ambassadors of the European Climate Pact and the Último Recurso association, the artwork will serve as a memorial for the 2017 tragedy and as a warning of the increasing threats posed by extreme weather events in Portugal.
“This action honors the lives lost in the 2017 fires while highlighting the ongoing losses of homes, livelihoods, and entire ecosystems that remain unaddressed by the State and with no justice for the affected communities,” stated Diana Neves, ambassador of the European Climate Pact, in a press release.
Diana Neves, native of Pombal, remarked on the entrenched notion within Portuguese identity of residing in a “land doomed to burn every year,” asserting this should not be normalized or accepted.
“All of us are increasingly close to becoming direct victims of the climate crisis,” she warned, advocating that honoring those who lost their lives also demands accountability, a thorough review of land management policies, more investment in climate adaptation, and effective protection for at-risk communities.
Mariana Gomes, founder of Último Recurso and fellow ambassador of the European Climate Pact, emphasized that this European day is not solely an exercise in memory but a reminder of the severe human consequences of extreme weather events, which are not inevitable.
Besides the collective painting, speeches are scheduled at 6:00 PM by the Mayor of Pombal, Pedro Pimpão, and the President of the Pedrógão Grande Fire Victims Association, Dina Duarte, followed by a public discussion on climate change and rural fires in Portugal featuring Mariana Gomes and Mafalda Moura, ambassadors of the Pact. The session will be moderated by Joana Guerra Tadeu, an environmental activist and author of the Imperfect Environmentalist project.
The Pombal event coincides with the European Commission’s official ceremony for the European Day for Victims of the Climate Crisis in Brussels, commencing at 6:30 PM local time.
In June 2023, the European Parliament approved the resolution instituting the European Union Day for Victims of the Global Climate Crisis, observed on July 15th.
The European Climate Pact is a key initiative of the European Green Deal promoted by the European Union and coordinated in Portugal by the environmental association Zero.
Its goal is to mobilize communities in Europe towards investments and activities that are gradually less reliant on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions, promoting the transition of their lifestyles and production processes towards a sustainable economy.
The fires that broke out in June 2017 in Pedrógão Grande and spread to neighboring municipalities resulted in the deaths of 66 people, injuries to 253 others, including seven seriously, and the destruction of around 500 houses and 50 businesses.
