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

We have completed another stage today, but, in spite of the party feeling, we have not yet finished our full journey. That will only happen when Casa das Cores receives its first lodgers. Hopefully it will be very soon.

What has been accomplished until now is extremely favourable, with the joining together of good will which is always at the base of these wonderful gestures, such as we are celebrating today.

Thank you, Honourable Mayor of Lisbon, Dr. António Costa, for knowing how to seize the challenge and unravel it, when we became frightened by a barrier that blocked our way.

Thank you, Tempus and Swatch, for helping us to arrive on time.

Thank you RTP, for bringing sound and image on what we are trying to accomplish.

Thank you, Luís Figo Foundation, always together with us in this project.

Thank you, BPI. Thank you to so many others who, little by little, managed to channel the means to allow us all to be here, today, waiting for the moment when we will finally be able to open the door of Casa das Cores.

We know that the Movement at the Service of Life will provide this house with the affection and human warmth which will make it a real home for the children that will come here to shelter from life’s mishaps.

Innocent victims of situations out of their control who, without help, may suffer very serious consequences.

When Dr. Pedro Sottomayor was fighting to build this dream and everything seemed to be just a “castle in the air”, because of the many thousands of euros still lacking to complete the transaction for the use of the building that the Lisbon Municipality had placed at the disposal of the Movement at the Service of Life, he was able to answer “Of course! I do not believe anything different”, when asked if he believed the necessary finance would arrive. We now have our Casa das Cores, looking very smart, in its bright and luminous blue, showing that faith moves mountains.

There is no doubt that dreams are in command of life and that it is those who believe that show us the way.

The dream was completed, the delays as well.

I want you to know that in the future you can always count upon my support.

To all those who will transform this house into a home I wish a splendid accomplishment.

I hope that the children who will be cared for here will find a sense in their lives.

I wish for so many things that I am unable to say them all. And since we are on the brink of the month of December I also wish you all a Happy Christmas.

And, when we open the doors of Casa das Cores, I want to see waiting for us the Christmas tree which was there when we laid its corner stone.

I well remember having set a meeting with it for a year later.

That happened on 7 December 2007. And I am back less than one year later. Will it be there waiting for me?

Maria Cavaco Silva