Portuguese Ombudsman celebrates 50 years with conference together with CPLP partners on the role of Ombudsman institutions in the defence of democracy and fundamental rights

On September 27, the Palácio de Vilalva in Lisbon hosted the conference “Five Decades of Freedom and Justice: Celebrating 50 Years of the Ombudsman and April 25”. The event, organized by the Ombudsman’s Office, marked the fiftieth anniversary of the creation of this institution in Portugal.

The initiative brought together members of the Network of Ombudsmen, National Human Rights Commissions and other Human Rights Institutions of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP Human Rights Network), as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps of the CPLP countries in Portugal. Among the guests of honor were Emílio Rui Vilar and Vasco Lourenço.

The opening session, led by the Portuguese Ombudsman, Maria Lúcia Amaral, was chaired by the President of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, who had welcomed the members of the CPLP Human Rights Network to Parliament the day before. In his speech, he highlighted the historic importance of the creation of the Ombudsman as a fundamental milestone in strengthening Portuguese democracy, emphasizing his role as guardian of the balance between powers.

This was followed by an evocative speech on the 50th anniversary of the Ombudsman by Emílio Rui Vilar, a unique figure in Portuguese history who, among other highly responsible roles, was a member of the Second Provisional Government that proposed the creation of the ombudsman in Portugal. In his speech, Emílio Rui Vilar highlighted the decisive role of this figure in the period of democratic transition and consolidation after April 25.

The morning also included a round table, moderated by the Ombudsman, on the theme of “The Ombudsman in the Transition and Consolidation of Democracy in the Lusophone Area”. The panel included the Ombudsmen of Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique and East Timor, who shared their experiences and reflected on the challenges faced by this institution in their respective countries.

In the afternoon, a second round table, also moderated by Maria Lúcia Amaral, brought together representatives of the National Human Rights Commissions of Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Brazil and São Tomé and Príncipe. The debate focused on the global crises affecting the protection of human rights and the strategies to guarantee their defense in a complex international context.

The celebrations ended with a musical performance by Marta Pereira da Costa, followed by the opening of the exhibition “Liberdade (à) Vista” by Paulo Cintra, made up of a set of unpublished photographs from April 25, 1974. The exhibition will soon be open to the public.

The conference can be viewed in full here.