The Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council has arrived and the invitation to celebrate it is open to all
Our first event will be the traditional flag ceremony on January 15, 2020 at 12:00 pm. The ceremony will be online and will connect Ispra to many other colleagues and friends throughout the EU.
Among the distinguished speakers are the Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, the Ambassador of the Portuguese Republic to Italy Pedro Nuno Bartolo, and the Director General of the JRC, Stephen Quest. The ceremony will be moderated by João Cruz, a stand-up comedian and researcher.
The portuguese singer and composer Manuel Freire will perform to close the event. Freire is well-known for his interpretation of the poem Pedra Filosofal. Freire was very influential through his music, before and after Portugal’s 1974 Carnation revolution. His voice and Gedeao's words are still an inspiration to millions of Portuguese
They neither know, nor dream, that dreams command life. That whenever a man dreams the world bounces, advances, as if it were a coloured ball held by the hands of a child.
Webstream link
https://webcast.ec.europa.eu/virtual-opening-ceremony-of-the-portuguese-semester
Agenda
12:00-12:05 Welcome by Master of Ceremonies, Joao Cruz
12:05-12:15
- Address by Stephen QUEST, Director General Joint Research Centre
- Address by Georg PETER, President of the German Semester Organising Committee,
- Address by Sandra CALDEIRA and Ricardo SOUSA, Presidents of the Portuguese Semester Organising Committee.
12:15-12:25 Flag Ceremony
- German Anthem - Lowering of the German Flag
- Portuguese Anthem - Raising of the Portuguese Flag
- European Anthem
12:25-12:30 Address by Commissioner Elisa FERREIRA, Commissioner, Cohesion and Reforms
12:30-12:35 Address by Embaixador Pedro Nuno BÁRTOLO, Portuguese Ambassador to Italy
12:35-12:45 Pedra Filosofal by Manuel FREIRE
12:45 Unveiling of the symbol (Roundabout)
13:00 Closing of the Ceremony