The President of the Republic addressed a message to the President of the Federal Republic of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, upon the award, by UNESCO, of the Felix Houphouët-Boigny Prize.

Following is the text of the message:

"Mister President and Dear Friend,

I am very pleased to address Your Excellency, on behalf of Portugal and in my own personal name, our warmest congratulations upon the award of UNESCO’s Félix Houphouët-Boigny Prize, which recognizes the inestimable contribution which Your Excellency has given towards the promotion of values of peace, democracy, defence of Human rights, equality and social justice, as well as the fight you have been pursuing to eradicate poverty.

It is particularly gratifying that this Prize distinguishes a friend with whom we are well acquainted, whose efforts has gone beyond frontiers and is thus justly worthy of recognition by the international community.

I am certain that the award of this Prize will be an important incentive to all those who work towards the building of fairer societies and of a more peaceful and harmonious international order. I thus beg you to accept, Mister President, my renewed congratulations and the expression of my highest consideration and personal esteem.

Aníbal Cavaco Silva"