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Three years after the entering of “Fado” in the Schedule of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, we once again recall the greatly deserved recognition of such an unique expression of our culture.

In addition to our pride over this, we must emphasize the renovation of our “fado”, as evidenced by the discovery of new talents, values and voices which have revealed themselves in the Portuguese musical panorama.

“Fado” was born amongst the people but it very early caught on with all the Portuguese. Some say it is the expression of being Portuguese, an embodiment of our universal way of life.

More important than discussing its origins and its profound sensibility, I would like to underline a simple but unarguable fact: “fado” is deeply rooted in our culture, whether as art or as tradition. And, above all, it has known how to renew itself, how to conquer perpetuity, by being a live presence over and above ephemeral and passing fashions.

In the last decades, “fado” became a worldwide success and triumphed in famous international stages, maintaining however that uniquely Portuguese hallmark, with which we identify ourselves.

In addition to a genuine expression of people’s art, “fado” has become one of the emblematic cross-border assertions of the Country. We must guarantee that its recognition by UNESCO was not just a symbolic award, without visible consequences.

We must continue working on the promotion of this unique art, by distinguishing its most notable creators and performers, in order that “fado” attains its rightful place in the panorama of universal music.

Continuing an almost two centuries’ old tradition, we have in Portugal today a generation of “fado” singers that brought “fado” a new essence, a different tone. Thanks to their talent, novel publics have been conquered and “fado” has acquired an unarguable place in the Country’s cultural environment.

Moreover, we are finding a more than ever closer connection of “fado” with literature, following a path discovered by Alain Oulman and by the ageless voice of Amália Rodrigues.

The “fado’s” renovation capability is visible in the enormous increase in the editing and sale of albums, of shows produced and sold out, of prizes achieved.

All this represents an inestimable contribution for the disclosure of our culture and for Portugal’s prominence abroad.

But, in addition to its undeniable value as an expression of our culture, “fado” also has a vast economic potential for the Country. Its positive impact on companies linked with audio-visual presentations and production of performances, and with the creation of employment, has been an unabated feature in this path of success.

All this was achieved due to the talent, the vision and the drive of creators, performers, musicians and entrepreneurs.

This is, without any doubt, a success story, a story that needs to be preserved, researched and disseminated, such as has played out here, in the museum to which it is dedicated. The “Fado” Museum witnesses the crossing of the generations that turned it into an expression of our identity: musicians and singers, poets and composers, technicians and researchers.

The Museum’s school, functioning since 2002, is essential both for the safeguard and for the future progress of this century’s old tradition.

The nearly 170,000 visitors, many of them foreigners, who visited the Museum last year, are proof of the role this institution has been playing.

In this visit of mine to the “Fado” museum, I am expressing my deep recognition and my awe for the work that has been carried out here on behalf of our tradition and our culture.

And because this a house dedicated to fado singers, before anything else, I want to pay a tribute to a number of excellent performers and creators who, in the last few years have contributed exceptionally towards the great success that “fado” has known: Ana Moura, Carminho, Katia Guerreiro, Mário Pacheco and Ricardo Ribeiro.

The richness of their individual routes, the already demonstrated creativity and dynamism, the success they have achieved in great playhouses in the four corners of the world are deserving of recognition by all the Portuguese.

For their drive and dedication and by the authenticity they have brought to their work, I have decided to decorate them as Commanders of the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator.

I am indeed happy to impose the respective insignia on artists Ana Moura, Carminho, Katia Guerreiro, Mário Pacheco and Ricardo Ribeiro.

I thank you all for what you have achieved on behalf of Portugal, certain that you will continue honouring the Country throughout the whole World.

Thank you