Rui Moreira receives Admiral Gouveia e Melo at the City Hall
Article
Navy Day is celebrated this year from May 18 to 21, with the focal point at the Alfândega (Customs House) and a diverse programme throughout this week. In order to "finalise the details", the Porto mayor received, this Wednesday, at the City Hall, the Chief of Staff of the Portuguese Navy, Admiral Gouveia e Melo. The president of the association for the Museum of Transport and Communications, Mário Ferreira, was also present at the meeting.
“We were challenged to have Navy Day here [in Porto]. We believe that it will be a fantastic and very important event for the Navy; for the promotion of what its values are, ”said Rui Moreira, declaring that the final programme will be presented on May 10, at Casa do Infante.
“We will have the Sagres Training Ship, which people love to visit, and a diverse programme, with the Alfândega as its main point,” he added.
The mayor stated that the city "always enjoyed seeing the Navy here" and that "the importance of the armed forces is, today, even more heightened. People have a greater understanding of the values of our sovereignty, ”said Rui Moreira.
For the Chief of Staff of the Portuguese Navy, the choice of Porto as the stage for Navy Day celebrations in 2023 has reasons that go beyond a simple choice. “Porto has given so much to the Navy. It has greatly impacted our maritime history, ”said Admiral Gouveia e Melo.
“Porto is known for its dynamism. We're trying to revamp the Navy. So, it's an appropriate time to celebrate [Navy Day] in this city, ”he added.
After this moment, Rui Moreira and Admiral Gouveia e Melo headed towards the Bolhão Market, where they had the opportunity to interact with some passers-by at the market and walk through the Easter Fair, which takes place there until April 8. They also attended a musical moment by the Clarinet Quartet from the Navy Band.
Navy Day aims to promote the closeness of the Navy with the community, strengthening the bond with all those who develop their economic and recreational activities at sea. The celebration on May 20 is to honour Vasco da Gama, who, on May 20, 1498, brought Europe and the East together for the first time in history by sea, with his arrival in Calicut, India.