The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, praised the “unwavering missionary spirit” of the fighters who “served and served Portugal”, expressing his gratitude as commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
This written message was read this Saturday at the 30th National Gathering of Tribute to Combatants, which took place in Lisbon, next to the Monument to Combatants from Overseas.
“The national tribute to the combatant is, for the President of the Republic, a duty and a token of gratitude to the heroes who, selflessly and with an unwavering spirit of mission, have served and continue to serve Portugal,” reads a message, dated 2 June, made available to bureau Lusa by the organization of the meeting.
For Marcelo, “the memory of his memory, the testimony of his worth and dedication, constitutes a reference and praises the continuous military service performed by all, in the contribution to the security and defense of the country, and in the fight for peace and security.” international stability”.
“It is with great pride that I, as Commander-in-Chief of the Portuguese Armed Forces, pay tribute to all the combatants in Portugal, expressing my gratitude for the achievements achieved and the service rendered to the Motherland, which has greatly honored us in the past. make us worthy in the present and protect that Portugal and the Portuguese in the future,” the message reads.
In the text, the head of state writes that “year after year, this emotional and simple celebration is intended to remember, honor and reward former combatants for their fulfillment of military service, and evoke the respect and patriotic duty that assists them” .
“It is a ceremony that stands out as a remarkable example for the Portuguese people, and a reference to noble principles and moral and patriotic values for the younger generations, whom we want to make more active, confident and participatory in defending the interests of the nation he adds.
In the opening speech, the chairman of the executive committee for this year’s national tribute to combatants, Vice Admiral António Duarte, noted that “this is a tribute and celebration that civil society has a moral and ethical duty to carry out, dedicated to the Portuguese, as fighters on the front lines and who do not always deserve the recognition due to them from their homeland, for the exemplary dedication of their commitment to the service of our armed forces”.
“The 10th of June of the Combatentes is and remains an affirmation of Portuguese patriotism, a cult of celebration of our identity and unity, whose spirit our poets, such as Camões and Pessoa, have drawn from the past and interpreted so well. , winds which we must blow into the present for future memory,” he noted.
Source: DN
