Rio de Janeiro
09.03.2008
Luiz Carlos Almeida de Araujo, Brasil
Laurentino Savi, Brasil
On the occasion of the Commemorations of the 200 Years of the Arrival of the Court in Rio de Janeiro, the President of the Republic and Mrs. Cavaco Silva visit Brazil between 6 and 9 March, at the invitation of the President of the Federal Republic of Brazil, Luís Inácio Lula da Silva.
During his stay, President Aníbal Cavaco Silva, in addition to the meetings to he held with his Brazilian counterpart, will also meet with the authorities of the State and City of Rio de Janeiro and will take part in various cultural events allusive to the celebration.
The two Presidents will officially open the Exhibition “A New World, A New Empire – The Portuguese Court in Brazil”, in the National History Museum, and will take part in a Ceremony to be held in the Royal Portuguese Library.
The President of Portugal will be accompanied in this visit by the Minister for Culture, Dr. José António Pinto Ribeiro, by the Secretary of State for the Portuguese Communities, Dr. António Braga, by members of Parliament on behalf of their respective Parties and by a cultural retinue which will include individualities linked with the commemorations of the bicentenary of the arrival of the Portuguese Royal Family in Brazil, representing the scholastic, literary, editorial and humanistic milieus, as well as academies and foundations.
On Thursday, immediately upon their arrival, the President and Mrs. Cavaco Silva will host, in honour of the City of Rio de Janeiro, a concert by the Portuguese singer Teresa Salgueiro, who will be accompanied by the João Cristal Sextet, to be held in the city’s Municipal Theatre.
The programme for Friday, March 7, will be fulfilled by a ceremony in the Brazilian Historical and Geographic Institute – which will award the Portuguese Head of State the title of Honorary President –, by a luncheon with individualities of the Brazilian cultural milieu, by a meeting with the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, César Maia, by a meeting with the coordinating committee of the bicentenary for which the City Council is responsible, and by a banquet hosted by President Lula da Silva.
In his turn, on Saturday, President Cavaco Silva will host a luncheon in honour of his Brazilian counterpart, after which he will attend, in the Former Imperial Cathedral, a “son et lumière” show allusive to the arrival of the Court in Rio, and a concert by the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra. This will be followed by a dinner hosted by the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro.
On Sunday, last day of the state visit, and after the opening of the exhibition “Lisbon in Rio de Janeiro”, to be held in the National Library, President and Mrs. Cavaco Silva will host, in the Palace of São Clemente, the residence of the Portuguese Consul-General in Rio de Janeiro, a reception in honour of the Portuguese and Luso-Brazilian Communities. At the end of the day, the Presidential couple will return to Lisbon.
© 2008 Presidency of the Portuguese Republic