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

Mrs. Leonor Beleza, President of the Champalimaud Foundation
Honourable Prime Minister
Honourable Chairman of the Jury, Prof. Alfred Sommer
Honourable President of the Aravind Eye Care System
Mrs. Luísa Champalimaud
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I was very pleased to accept the invitation of the President of the Champalimaud Foundation, Mrs. Leonor Beleza, to take part in this ceremony for the presentation of the Champalimaud Vision Award.

Due to its nature and international projection, this initiative is of undisputable relevance and importance, and is particularly significant for our Country.

I first of all wish to congratulate Dr. Nam, as President of the institution which has been awarded this first edition of the Champalimaud Prize, as well as all those who work there or collaborate with it.

I also greet, calling on the memory of António Champalimaud, the representatives of the Foundation he instituted with a substantial portion of his bequest, as well as the illustrious guests present here today.

I would also wish to address a special greeting to the international jury of this prize, which includes a number of individualities of the highest scientific level, with researchers who were awarded the Nobel Prize and personalities of great prestige. It could not have been easy to find a fair winner amongst the thirty four candidates, many of them deserving of distinction. For that alone, both you and the Champalimaud Foundation are to be congratulated.

The setting up of this annual prize expresses the determination of the Champalimaud Foundation in contributing towards the resolution of global Health issues. It is the largest prize in the world in the field of vision, with a value of one million euros. This prize, due to its value, as well as the prestige associated with it, may decisively contribute to scientific and technological progress in the field of Health.

The first edition of this prize is already demonstrative of its capacity to detect the good examples, which must be encouraged through the public recognition and disclosure of reputable initiatives.

The Aravind Eye Care System, first winner of the Champalimaud Prize, is an Indian non-governmental organization, referenced by its model, its practices and the results it has been able to achieve.

In its origin lay the almost utopian conviction that it would be possible to eradicate curable blindness in the whole world and thus combat this considerable cause of social inequality. Through the will, intelligence and humanitarian spirit of its founder it was possible, in such a vast country as India, to organize successfully and with self-sustainability an ample and effective system of tracing, prevention and treatment of blindness among the most needy.

It is a system that covers the whole chain of care, from the detection of the need to its effective resolution, educating, creating awareness, researching, producing, and training. In short, serving, in the fullest sense of the word. It is one of the best instances of excellence at the service of whoever needs it, quoted in the bibliography of the specialty and already studied by many who wish to follow it. I believe, anyway, that this theme - excellence at the service of whoever needs it – can be adopted by any health system in any part of the world.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Philanthropy was not born in our days. However, the social based entrepreneurism has been acquiring renewed strength in the beginning of this century and has shown interest in issues concerning health, a fundamental asset of Humanity. It is also possible to find, in Portugal, good examples of that philanthropy in various lines of battle against exclusion and inequality, from the promotion of access to education to the rendering of health care.

Here, today, we are looking at excellent examples of civic responsibility and solidarity. We must value and support the best instances of social investment, motivating other initiatives and encouraging the appearance of many more.

The Champalimaud Foundation and the Vision Award reinforce our hopes in an ever better future, where the sharing of responsibilities, the creation of added value and the good use of the means and capabilities revert in favour of the most needy, generating levels of inclusion and well being which, otherwise, would not be possible.

I know that the Champalimaud Foundation, under the presidency of Mrs. Leonor Beleza, will be able to carry its mission as far as its founder will have wanted, projecting the dream of providing each human being with the health conditions required to lead a dignified life.

I am certain that the institution that was awarded the prize will find that the echo of its actions will go far further than it could achieve by its own means, strengthening with its example and its success the encouragement for social entrepreneurship.

To all those who, in this way, become an active part in the building of a better world, go my sincere wishes of great success to proceed along the path that they feelingly chose.

Thank you very much.