The ceremony, presided over by the Secretary of State for Culture, Alberto Santos, was attended by the Mayor of Esposende, Carlos Silva, and Francisco Duarte Mangas, president of the AJHLP. The award recognizes personalities who contribute to a more inclusive and critical society.
José Carlos de Vasconcelos, born in 1940 in Freamunde, Paços de Ferreira, recalled his career and the importance of defending press freedom and causes. He highlighted Rodrigues Sampaio's "constant and courageous attitude as a citizen journalist," finding in it reasons to value the award.
The honoree also remembered his youth in Esposende, where he coordinated the literary page of the newspaper 'O Fangueiro' in 1959. "The awarding of this prize, whether more or less just, means that something I have done over all these years has been worthwhile," he concluded.
Carlos Silva praised Vasconcelos's sense of ethics and civic conscience, independent of political interests, and compared him to Rodrigues Sampaio in defending "freedom of expression, free press, education, and critical thinking".
Alberto Santos deemed the distinction "most just," emphasizing José Carlos de Vasconcelos's "life dedicated to writing, defending journalists, promoting writers," and the "cause of letters and culture," calling him a "rare man, of character and causes".
The ceremony featured poetic and musical performances, reviving actions in defense of freedom such as those by José Carlos de Vasconcelos and Carlos Paredes. Francisco Duarte Mangas highlighted his life's work dedicated to defending democratic values and Portuguese literature.
With a career spanning over six decades, José Carlos de Vasconcelos served as director for media outlets such as Diário de Notícias, RTP, O Jornal, and Visão magazine, and was the founder and director of JL – Jornal de Letras, Artes e Ideias. He was also a Member of Parliament and a member of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences.
