Excited to Embrace and Celebrate Our Democratic Values

Wednesday in Madeira was an emotional day. Our host, Professor Marcos Leitão, delivered a heartfelt talk about the International Day of Democracy and the April 25th Revolution in Portugal. This revolution was a military coup carried out on April 25, 1974, against the dictatorship of Marcelo Caetano, who had been in power since 1925.  

During the revolution, a flower seller, Celeste Caeiro, symbolically armed the soldiers with carnations instead of bullets. This poignant and colorful gesture went down in History (with a capital "H") as a symbol of peace and democratic freedom in Portugal.  

The participants of the K220 Erasmus Project, The New Values of Democracy in Today's Europe—from Greece, Poland, Romania, Croatia, Spain, and our host country, Portugal—share a historic bond. Each of our nations experienced a recent past marked by dictatorial regimes that subjected their citizens to abuse and oppression. Although the paths we followed to achieve freedom and democracy were different—some even devastating and violent—they all led to the shared values we uphold today.  

This made Wednesday morning’s activities especially fitting and moving. As project participants, we felt immense pride in being part of a group committed to fostering democratic values among students in today's Europe.  

Our positive focus continued with an origami workshop where we crafted Portugal’s symbol of democracy and freedom: the carnation.  

After lunch, we visited the Frederico de Freitas House Museum, home to an extraordinary collection, including the diary of an English lady who visited Madeira in the 19th century. Her journal offers invaluable insights into the island’s landscapes and traditions, enriched by watercolors that beautifully capture the essence of this archipelago, part of Macaronesia (a Greek term meaning "blessed islands").  

This is a fortunate island and we feel ourselves deeply fortunate visitors, we reveled in the beauty of Madeira’s scenery and its warm people.

Location: Funchal, Portugal

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