Prime Minister gives lecture at the Institute for Political Studies
Held at the headquarters of the Universidade Católica in Lisbon, the session began with speeches by the President, Isabel Capeloa Gil, and the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro. This was followed by a conversation between the head of government and José Manuel Durão Barroso, director of the IEP's Centre for European Studies, focusing on Portugal, Europe and the major challenges of today.
In her opening remarks, Isabel Capeloa Gil thanked the participants for their attendance and emphasised the central role of students: ‘In this lecture, the most important thing is the students.’
In a year marking the 40th anniversary of Portugal's accession to the European Union, the conversation was led by José Manuel Durão Barroso and Luís Montenegro, in a debate specially aimed at students from the Institute of Political Studies.
The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of Durão Barroso's presence: ‘Having José Manuel Durão Barroso here today is one of the best ways to personify this journey, both for his contribution to the accession process and for his work as Prime Minister and, later, during his ten-year presidency of the European Commission.’
Both stressed that Portugal now has opportunities and international credibility that should not be wasted. Luís Montenegro added: "Talking to young people about Portugal and Europe is something that fascinates and excites me. Portugal is now a country with a future, thanks in part to our young people. What can result from our intervention is the construction of a more competitive, more interconnected space capable of generating more opportunities for everyone who lives, works and studies in the European Union.”
Regarding the external perception of Portugal, Luís Montenegro emphasised: “Expectations for Portugal are high. Portugal’s credibility is high. There is a strong commitment to Portugal as a country for investment and intervention in the international context.”
The meeting was marked as a moment of academic and political excellence in the history of the Institute of Political Studies, also representing a call to young people's awareness of the challenges and responsibilities of Europe's future, and constituting a relevant contribution to the national public debate.