“Fifty years after April 25, at a critical time for democracies, peace, and international cooperation, recalling Mário Soares, discussing his thought and legacy, holds undeniable significance. The international congress ‘Mário Soares: A Life Between Centuries’ program is firmly committed to the humanistic and democratic values defining the University’s mission,” highlighted the event’s Organizing Committee.
The University of Coimbra will host the international congress “Mário Soares: A Life Between Centuries” on October 9 and 10. Sessions are scheduled at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Coimbra (FEUC) and are open and free of charge, subject to registration.
The congress is organized by the University of Coimbra in collaboration with Iscte – University Institute of Lisbon, Universidade Aberta, University of Beira Interior, University of Évora, University of Lisbon, University of Minho, and University of Porto.
Keynote speakers Irene Pimentel and José Pacheco Pereira will address the congress on October 9, while Luís Reis Torgal and Maria Inácia Rezola will present on October 10.
“These four conferences aim to open debate and offer new perspectives on Mário Soares’ significant contribution to building Portuguese democracy, European integration, peace, and cooperation among nations,” stated the University of Coimbra in a communiqué to Lusa.
The congress program also includes two round-table discussions focused on core themes of Mário Soares’s thought and actions. The first session, titled “Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, and European Integration,” will take place on October 9.
Moderated by journalist Teresa de Sousa, panelists include Elisa Ferreira, Maria Manuel Leitão Marques, Nuno Severiano Teixeira, and Dina Sebastião.
The second round-table on October 10, moderated by Maria Flor Pedroso, is entitled “Democracy, Social Policies, and Culture.”
Participants will include Augusto Santos Silva, Isabel Pires de Lima, Guilherme D’Oliveira Martins, and Luísa Schmidt.
The congress will also feature several parallel sessions with over 30 scientific papers presented, notably by young researchers, covering topics from History to Political Science and International Relations.
“The thematic sessions address the key areas of Mário Soares’s civic life and his extraordinary legacy to democracy: resistance to the Estado Novo, democratic socialism, decolonization, relations with Portuguese-speaking countries, Europe and the world, as well as his relationships with media and intellectual networks, maintaining constant dialogue between politics and culture,” it noted.
