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I share with you, since 2006, the joy of awarding the Active Woman Prize.

It is difficult to find new words to celebrate this so important event for the women of Portugal.

But perhaps is isn’t all that crucial to find new words, because what is really important here is not what is said, but what is being achieved and what has been carried out since 2006, when the feminine magazine that is best known and liked by Portuguese women had the idea to award this prize, which immediately became one of the most highly appreciated events that take place amongst us.

Because the many women that have been through here, as contestants or prize winners, are not after all women of many words but effectively of many deeds.

I would even say that as time passes on and everything is becoming more difficult for our community, that is, living through constraints that we never thought could be repeated, our day-to-day heroines have not lost their drive or imagination to fight against that which is wrong, and to build what is right.

In very diverse areas, the common point of which is the fact that it is precisely there that good willed and well prepared people are missing.

Voluntary work, of course, but our active women do not start out without being readily conscious of what awaits them and very well aware of what they are going to carry out. They want results, they want to view the growth of the dignity of all those to whom they dedicate their time and their talents.

They give us examples of courage. It is not easy to combat domestic violence, which has amongst us a strong tradition of intimacy that does not allow intrusion. Between husband and wife...

Margarida Martins is well aware that every year, in Portugal, there is an increase in the number of women killed by their husbands, partners, very young lovers, former partners or family members.

The numbers are frightening and whoever follows them up must be astonished, as I am always astonished: how is this possible? In our time? In our country?

But this frightening reality did not dissuade our Margarida.

Her having lived in England changed her vision of the world and much of what she achieves nowadays is due to having learned to face the issues directly, without getting lost in the roundabouts so dear to the Latin.

From my memories of youth I can recall a country where dentists were a luxury. In the villages of those times, if the local medical practitioner was very important and dear to the population, oral health was totally ignored.

The first time that, still a child, I went to a dentist in Lisbon due a toothache, I came away without the offender, which wasn’t even a milk tooth. The practice then was: if it hurts, extract it. However young the patient.

My experience (and many older persons may tell similar stories) leads me to understand the importance of the NGO that Mariana helped to set up. Smiling even opens a door into a better world, as suggested by Isabel Jonet.

I have often said in public that I adore smiles. It is the best thing to break the ice and brings people together.

Every year, when I read the life stories of our candidates, I learn a lot, even over issues I believed I was already familiar with.

As the godmother of “Raríssimas”, I have for long been interested in rare diseases, and have sorrowfully suffered a few in near relatives; but there are always terrible surprises in this area and with Carolina I learned a little more, this time in dermatological issues.

In support for children in danger, Portugal has reached a level that makes us very proud. Carla Semedo has dedicated her life to harbour not only her Diana but also many boys and girls that look to her to set their lives straight.

And our first feminine head of the Society of Veterinary Surgeons brings us a more humane view of animal health. I would prefer that this feminine issue would not continue as relevant, mainly in such a masculine world as veterinary practice.

This is the 21st century. We have to learn that we are all part of the same world and that its balance demands respect amongst men, but also amongst men and animals, reiterating the words of Miguel Torga.

But to go still further back I would recall St. Francis of Assis’ brother wolf.

However, these are our finalists for the 2012 Prize.

Throughout these 13 years many women have been through here who have allowed us to grow as a friendly, active and efficient community.
Only a few are winners, but all of them have made us enormously proud of the strength of our country’s women.

Whoever is the winner, the Active Woman Prize will always be in held in good hands, as we have learned in 13 years’ experience.

And it will never be enough to call our attention to the fact that the Active Woman Prize will bring out of anonymity women that have achieved notable work in areas such as art, science, entrepreneurialism and social issues.

Without it we would never have heard of these hundreds of women that have been through here and to whom we owe so much.

The Active Woman Prize is equally an act of gratitude towards that hidden treasure that are our laborious ants, keeping up the standing of persons and institutions that would run the risk of collapsing without their help.

My best thanks to all (and there are many of you) that have made possible these wonderful moments that we jointly enjoy every year.

I feel a great emotion when I say to you once again:
I am very proud of my country’s women.