From an early age, we are called to face challenges, and our moral compass is put to the test; small actions and words reveal what we are truly made of. We grow up and, before we know it, we are young adults with shaped beliefs and ideals — and somewhere along the way, we become aware of the world around us and the causes that make us raise our fists and feel our hearts beat stronger.

I can say with absolute certainty that April 25th is the most beautiful holiday in our history. Perhaps it’s because I grew up in a home where freedom was part of the conversation, while the record player played Zeca Afonso, Sérgio Godinho, or José Mário Branco. I grew up with childhood photos of my father in Africa and my grandfather’s memories upon returning from the Colonial War. I remember my mother’s stories of her youth, during her high school years just after the Revolution, describing the spirit of change and the renewed sense of hope that filled the air.

To me, April has always been a reminder of how beautiful freedom is — and how much it deserves to be protected. But also that our democracy is fragile and, today, faces new threats. I know our generation cannot rest in the shade of what was conquered by the men and women who came before us. We've been entrusted with the most important role of staying alert, resisting adversity and intolerant voices, raising our fists, and fighting for our right to choose, to own our bodies, our truths and desires, to chase our dreams and a better life.

Launch of the book “Histórias Cravadas”

The project “Histórias Cravadas” (“Engraved Stories”) was born as a celebration of the lives of eleven women from the Aveiro community. We set out to immortalize the hardships they faced, but also their resilience, their achievements, and the crucial role of women in shaping democracy in Portugal. On April 6th, at the FNAC Aveiro, we closed this project in a very special and emotional way with the launch of the book "Histórias Cravadas - As Conquistas das Mulheres no pós-25 de Abril” - “The Achievements of Women in Post-Revolution.” that brings together the powerful testimonies and stories of these incredible women. The talk was moderated by Professor Fernando Nogueira from the Department of Social, Political, and Territorial Sciences at the University of Aveiro, and featured three of the women from our book – Eugénia Pinheiro, Maria do Carmo, and Rosa Gadanho. As a token of our appreciation, we presented each of the eleven women with a framed photo and a copy of the book.

A Year of Celebration

This was the culmination of a project that began last year, with interviews of the eleven women whose testimonies would later give life to this book. These interviews are also available to the entire community on the project’s page – agoraaveiro.org/iloveaveiro. Last April, we premiered the short film that gives voice to this project with a beautiful and lively gathering at Largo da Capela de São Gonçalinho, in Aveiro. This event also marked the opening of the Photography Exhibition at the Santa Joana Museum, where it remained until last May. The exhibition then traveled to the Ferreira de Castro Municipal Library, in Oliveira de Azeméis, during the month of September, and to the Estarreja Municipal Library in March of this year. The project also inspired a Human Library - a moment of discussion and story sharing - at the Professional School of Aveiro.

Anyone wishing to purchase a copy of the book can get in touch with us through the contact form on the “Contacts” page.

All that’s left is for us to thank the incredible women who so generously agreed to have a conversation with us: Eugénia Pinheiro, Filomena Machado, Fernanda Lucas, Maria da Conceição Correia, Maria da Conceição Simões, Maria da Silva Anjos, Maria do Carmo, Maria Luísa Louro, Manuela Marques, Rosa Gadanho, and Zita Leal. We hope we have done justice to their stories and their struggles, and we promise that, on our end, “as long as there’s a road ahead, we’ll keep on going.” Long live the 25th of April!