The commemoration of Portugal Day, Camões Day and the Day of the Portuguese Communities ends today in Peso da Régua with the traditional June 10th military ceremony, after crossing South Africa.
The military ceremony, scheduled to start at 10 a.m. in the Praça do Município, will be attended by the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the President of the Portuguese Parliament and party leaders, including the President of the PSD, Luís Montenegro.
The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, will speak at 11:45 a.m., following military honors, a tribute to the fallen and a speech by winegrower João Nicolau de Almeida, who chairs this year’s organizing committee for the commemorations.
On Friday, on his arrival in Peso da Régua, the Head of State told journalists that his speeches at the June 10 military ceremony are “always about the country, never about everyday events”.
Last year, in his speech on Portugal Day in Braga, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa praised the Portuguese people, the “arraia-miúda” who built Portugal, spread across the oceans and “split in two” when Brazil became independent.
After the military ceremony, which will end at 1.15pm, the President of the Republic will visit the armed forces exhibition at 4.30pm, at the Régua quay, before returning to the Praça do Município at 7.30pm, to take part in the military ceremony to raise the national flag.
Then, at 8pm, he will visit the exhibitors of wine producers and regional products integrated into the “Douro Wine City”, at the municipal auditorium of Peso da Régua.
At 9.30pm, the June 10th commemorations will conclude with a concert, open to the public, in the Alameda dos Capitães garden, during which Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will decorate the three military bands.
This year, the President of the Republic has designated Peso da Régua as the venue for the commemoration of the Day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese Communities.
According to Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the choice of this town is a way of drawing attention to the continent’s “sometimes forgotten interiors”.