The Mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, awarded the City’s Medal of Honor to former First Lady Manuela Eanes on Tuesday.
“Lisbon today awarded the City’s Medal of Honor to Dr. Manuela Eanes. We recognize a life dedicated to others, the cause of children, and the dignity of the most vulnerable,” wrote Carlos Moedas on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
The Lisbon mayor further remarked that Manuela Eanes is “an example of courage, generosity, and simplicity.”
In a statement published on the Lisbon City Council website, Carlos Moedas highlighted “the shift in the perception of the First Lady’s role in Portugal, having transformed the title into something new and unprecedented, advocating causes and listening to people.”
Lisboa atribuiu hoje a Medalha de Honra da Cidade à Dra. Manuela Eanes.
Reconhecemos uma vida dedicada aos outros, à causa das crianças e à dignidade dos mais vulneráveis.
Um exemplo de coragem, generosidade e simplicidade. Obrigado por tudo. pic.twitter.com/QpzRMO6Xaz— Carlos Moedas (@Moedas) July 15, 2025
He also emphasized “the pioneering work in defending children, especially those living on the streets,” which led to the decision to “name the new nursery in Bairro de Madre Deus after her. Her neighborhood.”
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Who is Manuela Eanes?
Born in Almada in December 1938, Manuela Eanes graduated in Law from the University of Lisbon’s Faculty of Law, a period during which her vocation for social causes became apparent, having served as president of the Catholic University Youth.
In the 1960s and 1970s, she was associated with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, namely the Institute of Social Services, where she was deputy director and worked on social projects for children and the elderly, promoting support for vulnerable populations, including the implementation of school canteens, nurseries/daycare centers, and old age and disability subsidies for former schoolteachers.
In 1970, Manuela Eanes married António Ramalho Eanes, who would later be elected the 16th President of the Portuguese Republic and the first democratically elected after the Revolution of April 25, 1974, serving from 1976 to 1986.
As First Lady, she founded the Institute for Child Support (IAC) in 1983, dedicated to the promotion and defense of children’s rights, serving as its president until 2013 when she became honorary president.
In proposing the award of the City’s Medal of Honor, the mayor mentioned that Manuela Eanes, aged 86, is an “indelible figure in society,” with a significant impact on the country and the city of Lisbon.
The Lisbon City Council (CML) will award the City’s Medal of Honor to former First Lady Manuela Eanes on July 15, recognizing her commitment to social causes, particularly in defending children’s rights.
Lusa | 14:23 – 07/07/2025
