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

Majesty,
Presidents,
Heads of Government
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Special Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,

As I had the opportunity to refer, yesterday, at the Inaugural Act of our Summit, it is with great pleasure and pride that Portugal welcomes you, with the Ocean that links the two Continents in which our Community asserts itself as a background.

It is the firm purpose of the Portuguese Presidency to do all in its power for this meeting to constitute a further contribution towards the strengthening of the bonds that link us. In current times, none of us can allow abstracting from the added value which constitutes a structure of dialogue and coordination of positions as that of our Community. I am certain I can count with the support of you all for this to be so.

I want to especially salute the President of El Salvador, the President of Panama and the Prime Minister of Andorra who, having taken office this year, are participating for the first time in an Iberian American Summit. Welcome!

Presidents, Heads of State,

We are gathered here, as equals, in the respect of each one’s sovereignty, to listen to each other, to learn from each other and to endeavour, in good faith that our reflection will result in ideas and initiatives which allow improvement in the lives of our peoples.

This is not a passive attitude. On the contrary, it is demanding. Demanding because it implies knowing how to listen, being open to learn and to understand. Demanding because it implies the will to go beyond words, the will to act. Demanding because, although recognizing how much has been built since Guadalajara, we want more and better, we want to reach farther.

It is time for our dialogue to be accompanied by a more effective cooperation amongst us, by a greater endeavour in concrete actions which answer our shared interests and which embody our common objectives.

This effort must be as inclusive and as embracing as possible. We want our peoples mustered, contributing with their thought and their initiatives towards a project which will only make sense if understood as a common asset. Many are doing it already and, whilst political leaders, it is our duty to support them, encourage them, to start with by proving we are accompanying them in their enthusiasm by our words and our actions.

We will be called to take note of the conclusions reached by the various Forums and Meetings which accompany our Summit and which have given a very important contribution for the deepening of our Community. It was our wish that, for the first time, such conclusions be presented directly by several of their representatives, as a sign of the relevance we attribute to their involvement in the building of a Community which is theirs.

The topic chosen by the Portuguese Presidency was Innovation and Knowledge. We all recognize its importance. Societies with greater economic and social development were those who invested in the qualification of the people, in the competitiveness of the economy and in technological innovation.

For the success of this investment, however, much depends upon cooperation between States and institutions. It will thus be very important that the conclusions of our Summit include measures and initiatives that favour such cooperation.

Our Summit is being held at a time when the world faces the effects of a brutal financial and economic crisis as well as the effects of climatic change. These are issues we shall have the opportunity to deal with in the course of our labours.

I await, expectantly, your interventions and your contribution for the success of our meeting.