Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa arrives in Berlin today at 16:00, although the official program only begins on Friday at 11:00 with a meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at his official residence, Bellevue Palace.
The President will be received with an official welcome ceremony, including national anthems, an inspection of troops, and a flag salute, before a bilateral meeting with Steinmeier.
Following this meeting, the President will have lunch at a Portuguese restaurant before joining his German counterpart at 16:40 for the Bürgerfest (Citizens’ Festival) at Bellevue Palace, where Portugal is the guest country this year.
The two-day festival aims to “honor volunteer work and promote civic engagement” as noted in a statement released on the Presidency’s official page.
According to the Portuguese embassy in Germany, as the guest country, Portugal’s stands will focus on themes such as the sea, culture, national cuisine, and soccer, featuring the UEFA Nations League trophy won by the national team in June.
During his visit to the Bürgerfest, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will deliver a speech at the opening ceremony and participate in a debate with Germany’s first lady, Elke Büdenbender, and the rector of the Catholic University, Isabel Capeloa Gil, on the topic of “how to give hope to children in times of crisis.”
At the conclusion of his visit to the Bürgerfest, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will attend concerts by the Portuguese band Black Mamba and the German country rock band The BossHoss.
On Saturday, the President will depart for Lisbon at 11:00, with no further events scheduled in Berlin.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s last visit to Germany was from June 7 to 8, during the June 10 celebrations, where, alongside Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, he met with the Portuguese community in Stuttgart.
During that brief visit, the President also traveled to Munich where, with Luís Montenegro, he watched the national team’s victory in the UEFA Nations League final against Spain at the stadium.
