Welcome to the Official page of the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic

I wish to start by showing my very great joy with the success of this IV Routes to the Future International Conference, dedicated to Youth, New Trends, another Hope.

I naturally wish to thank all the speakers for the quality of their addresses and, of course, all those present here today.

Taking part in this Conference is a show of non-conformism and expresses the ambition to think and argue, clearly, the future of Portugal and its youth.

The testimonies, the ideas and the innovative and diversified perspectives which were presented here allow us, at the end of these two days, to construe a more rigorous and informed view of the challenges which we will face in the future. Everyone’s contribution is important in order that such challenges may be overcome.

The survey presented yesterday by Professor Marina Costa Lobo contains results that should merit serious reflexion from politicians, the civil society and the people in general.

If it is true that there are some components that could induce some pessimism, it is interesting to find that, in spite of the grievous difficulties which we all went through in recent years, it is amongst the younger people that we meet more consistent signs of hope and confidence in the future.

Either in the expectations concerning employment, or in the attitude regarding mobility, the youngest, in the 15 to 24 age range, are those that better interpret the present changes and that face the morrow more realistically and encouragingly.

Less promising are the conclusions of the Survey regarding youth’s relationship with politics. The comparison of the results now reached with those obtained in the study “Youth and Politics”, carried out in October 2007, reveals that the disbelief in the institutions and the degradation in the civic relations of the younger people with politics recorded a worsening that should concern us all.

I have called attention, on several occasions, to the risks of growing political apathy and of youth’s unconcern in the face of political activities. At a time when we celebrate 40 years of democracy, it is fundamental that society and the politicians, in particular, go from words to deeds. Once and for all, it is imperative that we become conscious of the seriousness of this phenomenon and of the pressing need to act.

As I had the opportunity to state recently, it is fundamental that a strategy is developed dedicated to the creation of qualified employment and for the credibility of the institutions and their players.

On the other hand, it is essential that credible and transparent incentives exist that enable the mustering of youth towards a more active participation in the building of their collective destiny.

This Conference is a sign of hope, but it is also an alert that must be heard. I am firmly convinced that the new generations will be the bearers of a more demanding and informed citizenry and that they will decisively contribute to a better future for Portugal.

Today we heard testimonies of young persons which, independently from their academic training and their professional trajectory hold a civic conscience that is not imposed on them, which is natural to them. Their wish to participate, to do better, is not conditioned by nor does it await the approval of politicians.

I was able to again meet, yesterday and today, many young persons with whom, throughout my mandates, I encountered on several occasions, namely in the Routes to Youth, an initiative that, unexpectedly, established a means of direct contact and approach of the Presidency of the Republic to the issues and concerns of the new generations of Portuguese. Believing that these are the bases of the hope for a better future, I endeavoured that youth’s opinions should be heard and that their capabilities, their talent, their creativity, their achievements should be evinced so that we can show how proud we are of them. I thus decided that young people should lead the debates in each of the discussion panels of this Conference.

On 9 March 2011, when I took office, I addressed the young, stating: “Make your opinions heard. This is your time. Show everyone it is possible to live in a fairer and more developed Country, with healthier, cleaner and more dignified civic culture and politics. Show the other generations that you do not conform, that you do not relinquish. Dream louder, believe in the hope for a better future. Believe in Portugal, because this is your country.”

After this Conference, I am more confident and am doubly hopeful as to the coming times. We have a new generation which the Portuguese can be proud of. These young people are better prepared, better informed, more open to the World, are bearers of a new idea of citizenry, more conscious and more knowledgeable. May Portuguese society recognize in them the capability to invent a different future for Portugal.

I thank you all very warmly for your collaboration and your presence and your example of civic patriotism.

Thank you very much.