Latest news with #MargaridaBalseiroLopes
Euronews
5 days ago
- Business
- Euronews
Nomadic biennial Manifesta to land in Coimbra for its 2028 edition
Manifesta, Europe's nomadic biennial of contemporary art and urban practice, will be held in Coimbra, Portugal in 2028 – the first time the country will host the influential event. Manifesta 17 will be a collaborative edition developed with Anozero, a biennial co-organised by the Municipality of Coimbra and the University of Coimbra. Announcing the decision in a statement this week, Portugal's Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Margarida Balseiro Lopes, said: 'Bringing Manifesta to Coimbra is a strategic opportunity that reflects the government's commitment to culture in its various dimensions and across the entire territory.' 'This decision is of great significance,' she added, 'as it recognises the value of a transformative dialogue between art and society, bringing to the city, the region and the country a major cultural event with proven economic return and strong tourism potential.' Founded in 1996, Manifesta takes place every two years in a different European host city or region, with the aim of engaging local contexts and communities in collaborative cultural production. Past editions have taken place in cities such as Palermo, Marseille, Rotterdam, and most recently, Barcelona in 2024. The decision to bring Manifesta to Coimbra reflects the organisers' ambition to work more closely with local initiatives, particularly those embedded in rich historical and academic contexts. Hedwig Fijen, the director and founding head of Manifesta, highlighted this shift: 'Manifesta is entering a new phase of cross-cultural collaboration within the European arts and architecture landscape by partnering with the Coimbra-based biennial Anozero.' According to Fijen, Anozero, led by Carlos Antunes and Désirée Pedro, 'reflects a shared commitment to working together across institutions and contexts.' She affirmed that such collaborative practices 'not only essential but may well represent the future of the art world.' The 2028 edition will be supported by a network of national partners, including Portugal's Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Tourism. The biennial will be shaped by a combination of Manifesta's international team and local experts from Coimbra, as well as Portuguese cultural practitioners. Known for its Romanesque architecture and academic legacy, Coimbra is home to several key heritage sites. Among them is the Old Cathedral (Sé Velha), dating back to 1117, and the University of Coimbra, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2013. These historical landmarks, alongside the city's dynamic artistic community, are expected to serve as both backdrop and inspiration for Manifesta 17. Manifesta 16 will precede the Portuguese edition, taking place in the Ruhr region of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, from 21 June to 4 October 2026. That edition, spread across multiple post-industrial cities, will continue the biennial's exploration of art as a tool for civic transformation and speculative futures.
Straits Times
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Neo-Nazis attack actors in Lisbon, marring Portugal Day celebrations
LISBON - A group of neo-Nazis attacked several actors outside a Lisbon theatre late on Tuesday, forcing it to cancel a show about Portugal's national poet Luis de Camoes to mark Portugal Day, which commemorates the literary icon. The European Union has said hate speech is on the rise in Portugal, and the far-right is gaining support after anti-immigration party Chega became the main opposition in parliament in last month's election. Culture Minister Margarida Balseiro Lopes condemned on Wednesday what she called a "cowardly attack... on freedom of expression, on the right to creativity, on the democratic values that define us as a country". Police said they had detained one person after Tuesday evening's scuffle near the Barraca theatre in downtown Lisbon. Actor Aderito Lopes, who performs the role of the 16th century one-eyed poet in a play titled "Love Is A Flame That Burns Unseen", had to be hospitalised with face injuries. According to the play's director Maria do Ceu Guerra, the group of about 30 neo-Nazis had been returning from a rally with signs and leaflets that read "Portugal for Portuguese". They initially verbally assaulted an actress who was wearing a T-shirt picturing a star associated with the political left and then attacked two male actors. The attack came on the 30th anniversary of the killing of a young Black man, Alcindo Monteiro, in Lisbon by skinheads, similarly after Portugal Day commemorations. "Thirty years on, this country has not found a way to defend itself from the Nazis," Guerra said in televised remarks. Under the fascist regime of Antonio Salazar, which ruled the country for four decades until 1974, Portugal Day became known as Portuguese Race Day. Ultra-right movements have been marking it with mainly small-scale rallies for years. Following Tuesday's attack, left-wing political parties accused Prime Minister Luis Montenegro's centre-right government of failing to take action against far-right groups. "The neo-fascists are attacking books, the theatre and those involved in culture. They do it because they think they can," Left Bloc lawmaker Mariana Mortagua wrote on X. In her statement, Culture Minister Balseiro Lopes said: "Culture is not intimidated... And it does not accept hatred disguised as political discourse." In April, far-right groups provoked clashes in downtown Lisbon, marring celebrations of the 51st anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, which ended the dictatorship. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Neo-Nazis attack actors in Lisbon, marring Portugal Day celebrations
LISBON (Reuters) -A group of neo-Nazis attacked several actors outside a Lisbon theatre late on Tuesday, forcing it to cancel a show about Portugal's national poet Luis de Camoes to mark Portugal Day, which commemorates the literary icon. The European Union has said hate speech is on the rise in Portugal, and the far-right is gaining support after anti-immigration party Chega became the main opposition in parliament in last month's election. Culture Minister Margarida Balseiro Lopes condemned on Wednesday what she called a "cowardly attack... on freedom of expression, on the right to creativity, on the democratic values that define us as a country". Police said they had detained one person after Tuesday evening's scuffle near the Barraca theatre in downtown Lisbon. Actor Aderito Lopes, who performs the role of the 16th century one-eyed poet in a play titled "Love Is A Flame That Burns Unseen", had to be hospitalised with face injuries. According to the play's director Maria do Ceu Guerra, the group of about 30 neo-Nazis had been returning from a rally with signs and leaflets that read "Portugal for Portuguese". They initially verbally assaulted an actress who was wearing a T-shirt picturing a star associated with the political left and then attacked two male actors. The attack came on the 30th anniversary of the killing of a young Black man, Alcindo Monteiro, in Lisbon by skinheads, similarly after Portugal Day commemorations. "Thirty years on, this country has not found a way to defend itself from the Nazis," Guerra said in televised remarks. Under the fascist regime of Antonio Salazar, which ruled the country for four decades until 1974, Portugal Day became known as Portuguese Race Day. Ultra-right movements have been marking it with mainly small-scale rallies for years. Following Tuesday's attack, left-wing political parties accused Prime Minister Luis Montenegro's centre-right government of failing to take action against far-right groups. "The neo-fascists are attacking books, the theatre and those involved in culture. They do it because they think they can," Left Bloc lawmaker Mariana Mortagua wrote on X. In her statement, Culture Minister Balseiro Lopes said: "Culture is not intimidated... And it does not accept hatred disguised as political discourse." In April, far-right groups provoked clashes in downtown Lisbon, marring celebrations of the 51st anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, which ended the dictatorship. (Reporting by Andrei Khalip; editing by Charlie Devereux and Gareth Jones)
