PES activists officially launched in Portugal

“With PES activists the PES motivates the debate on European politics between 2 million members of socialist and social democratic parties throughout Europe. We, in Portugal, want to play an active role in completing this challenge.” José Reis Santos, one of the founding organizers of PES activists in Portugal stressed at the launch of PES activists in Portugal in PS Headquarters Lisbon, April 2.

It was standing room only for those who arrived late, because Portuguese socialists attended the conference in great numbers – even PS president António de Almeida Santos was present. The official launch of PES activists Portugal was introduced by Vitalino Canas, National Secretary and Head of the Committee of European Matters of Portuguese Parliament and José Reis Santos a founding organiser of PES activists Portugal.

The launch event was combined with the PES campaign that focuses on children’ interests and aims at providing child care facilities that can provide the same rights to all parents. A panel discussion took place with José António Vieira da Silva - Minister of Employment and Social Solidarity, Jorge Lacão - Secretary of State for the Presidency of the Cabinet, Edite Estrela - Head of the Portuguese PS delegation at the European Parliament and Teresa Fragoso from PES Activists Portugal. The international flavour was guaranteed by the presence of Zita Gurmai, President of PES Women.

Speaking about the importance of developing PES activists in Portugal, José Reis Santos stated that “Our goal is to be a complement to traditional party structures, bringing more information, more debate and more working areas. We want to be not only the messengers but also the creators of new ideas, new debates, and new politics. We believe that being a socialist today it's to be pro-active. It's to have the strength and the will to build a socially fair and political advance Europe.”

The detailed program of the evening

19:00 Start and introduction:

• António de Almeida Santos, President of PS
• Vitalino Canas, National Secretary and Head of the Comitee of European Matters of Portuguese Parliament
  
• José Reis Santos, PES Activists Portugal

  
  
  19:30 Conference on Childcare
  

• José António Vieira da Silva, Minister of the Work and Social Solidarity
  
• Zita Gurmai, President of PES Women
  
• Jorge Lacão, Secretary of State for the Presidency of the Cabinet
  
• Edite Estrela, Head of the Portuguese PS delegation at the European Parliament
  
• Teresa Fragoso, PES Activists Portugal

Photos of the launch

Consult PS Portugal website

Consult PES activists' blog
Read José Reis Santos’ speech