São Brás de Alportel united people on Rua Roche La Moliêre in a tribute to peace

As part of the celebrations of Portugal Day, Camões Day and the Portuguese Communities Day, on June 10, 2025, São Brás de Alportel celebrated a moment of great symbolism by publicly presenting Rua Roche La Molière, a toponymic attribution, in honor of its twinning with the French municipality.

The new road connects Victor de Brito Park, next to the Indoor Municipal Swimming Pool Complex, to the Medronheiro roundabout, next to the Sousa Uva Football Field.

It is an artery that connects sport and education, crossing the Sports and Leisure Park, next to a group of schools.

“This location reflects the spirit of this twinning: education, culture, sport, accessibility and inclusion”, according to the São Brás de Alportel City Council .

The beginning of the street is marked by the symbolic presence of the replica of the Santa Cruz seaplane, which in 1922 connected Portugal to Brazil through the first aerial crossing of the South Atlantic, carried out by Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral.

Alongside, a vertical sign already indicated the distance from São Brás de Alportel to Rio de Janeiro; now, a new arrow has been added with the direction and distance to Roche La Molière, visually reinforcing this bridge of Portuguese-French friendship.

The twinning between the two municipalities has roots as solid as their economic traditions.

Roche La Molière is a land of miners, heir to a strong identity linked to coal mining, symbolically represented by its Philharmonic Orchestra "Harmonie des Mineurs".

São Brás de Alportel, meanwhile, is a land shaped by cork production, a symbol of sustainability, resilience, and connection to nature. Both communities share a pride in their roots, which are now united in a project of cooperation and joint development.

It was in 2015 that Miguel Dias, a São Bras native around the world, planted the first seeds of this relationship, which germinated through music, youth and culture.

In 2017, the municipalities formalized the twinning, based on common values of democracy, solidarity, tolerance, culture and European citizenship.

"This twinning represents something very important to us: building bridges between peoples, based on the values of fraternity, dialogue, and friendship. This street is now another symbol of this shared journey. We have had a very positive experience sharing with the municipality of Roche La Molière, which also inspires us to innovate and continue working with and for the people," emphasized Vitor Guerreiro, Mayor of São Brás de Alportel.

Vice President Marlene Guerreiro noted: "This relationship is not just institutional, but also made up of people, encounters, and sharing. Miguel Dias was and is the driving force behind this cultural and human bridge that continues to grow."

The day was also marked by two important celebrations for local associations, namely the 22nd anniversary of the Associação Cultural Recreativa Escola de Música Sambrasense (ACREMS) and its Banda Filarmónica, whose trajectory has been deeply linked to this twinning, with numerous participations in musical and cultural exchanges with Roche La Molière, and the 55th anniversary of the União Desportiva e Recreativa Sambrasense (UDRS).

The French delegation, led by President Éric Berlivet, actively participated in the celebrations of both collectives, alongside the São Bras municipal executive, reinforcing the importance of associative and cultural networks as drivers of European citizenship.

This inauguration follows the tribute paid in March of this year, in Roche La Molière, with the inauguration of Praça São Brás de Alportel, next to Parque do Castelo.

On that occasion, a friendship tree was planted, a plaque was unveiled, and the Medal of Honor was presented to Miguel Dias, in a celebration marked by symbolism and emotion.

It is important to remember that Miguel Dias was one of the São Brás residents awarded the municipal insignia on São Brás de Alportel Municipality Day, on June 1st.

"This twinning is more than just an exchange: it is a true cultural, economic, and educational partnership, promoting dialogue between young people, businesses, and citizens," declared Éric Berlivet during the ceremony in France.

Rue Roche La Molière is more than just an urban transport artery. It's a connecting road, a symbol of identity, a space where local history, European values, and the desire to build a shared future, anchored in peace, multiculturalism, respect, and progress, intersect.

"A street that begins with a symbol of boldness and ends with a space of knowledge and inclusion. A journey between past and future, between Portugal and France," according to the city council.