President of the Republic awards UCCLA with the Order of Camões

The President of the Republic awarded UCCLA — Union of Portuguese-Speaking Capital Cities — the honorary membership of the Order of Camões, in recognition of its role as a “precursor institution of fraternity.”

The general secretary of UCCLA, Luis Álvaro Campos Ferreira, received the Order's insignia and expressed “deep gratitude” for this recognition , reinforcing the commitment to continue strengthening the Portuguese language and culture in the Lusophone world, says a note from the organization.

This distinction highlights the value of UCCLA “in promoting ties between member cities , urban cooperation projects and cultural, educational and sustainable development initiatives within the Portuguese-speaking community,” he adds.

Following the award ceremony held at Belém Palace, a statement from the UCCLA stated that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa highlighted the importance of its founder, Nuno Krus Abecasis , and his inspiration in creating the institution, which unites capitals, cities, and peoples. The UCCLA "has a very important body of work" built over 40 years , the Portuguese President emphasized.

The award ceremony was attended by the Ambassadors of Angola and Timor-Leste, the former Secretary-General of UCCLA, Vitor Ramalho, representatives of cities and companies that are part of the organization, as well as all of the institution's employees.

The Order of Camões, regulated and integrated into the framework of other Portuguese Honorary Orders in 2021, aims to distinguish entities or individuals who have provided “relevant services to the Portuguese language and its projection in the world and to the intensification of cultural relations between peoples and communities that express themselves in Portuguese”, in addition to “relevant services to the preservation of the ties of the Portuguese communities with Portugal”.