Portugal names Paulo Portas commissioner for 900‑year foundation celebrations

Former deputy prime minister Paulo Portas was sworn in as commissioner‑general for the 900‑year anniversary of Portugal’s foundation. The ceremony, held at the Palácio da Ajuda in Lisbon, was attended by ministers, regional leaders, members of parliament and church officials. Portas said the programme, to be presented by the end of the year, will involve schools, universities and cultural organisations and will celebrate the whole nation. He highlighted key historic milestones – the Battle of São Mamede (1128), the Battle of Ourique (1139), the Treaty of Zamora (1143) and the papal bull Manifestis Probatum (1179) – underscoring Portugal’s long‑standing identity before the modern concept of the nation‑state. The government’s goal is to deepen public knowledge of the country’s heritage and to coordinate nationwide events marking this historic moment.