Raison D'ètre

The aim of the Associação de Amizade Portugal - EUA (Portugal - USA Mutual Friendship Association) is to promote cultural, social and economic exchange between two communities with historical ties of undeniable importance. The two communities are the Portuguese and Americans living in the USA and Portugal. The Association is simple proof of interdependence at several levels, a positive element in the shared existence of two peoples who, although different in their own special ways, also share the same love of freedom and, consequently, respect for the role of each individual in building societies that aim constantly higher in their human existence.

To this end, the Associação de Amizade aims to promote a wide range of cultural, social and economic events, always acting in strict respect for the principles of Democracy and Freedom, as understood by the Western World, without wavering from this approach in any way.

Europeans as a whole, and the Portuguese in particular, owe a debt of gratitude to the USA. This is not only because North America has welcomed millions of emigrants in search of a new life, but also because thanks to US intervention in world conflicts most countries of Eastern Europe have managed to retain their independence, as well as their democratic constitutional order.

It was thanks to the effort of the USA that the Marshall Plan - with all its limitations - became possible, and that the Stalinist temptation of hegemony did not have more disastrous consequences internationally.

And for us it is a simple truth that since the USA is a super power (which necessarily involves internal contradictions, a systemic lack of adjustment and, as a result, situations where there is a lack of justice and balance), it is no less true that, essentially, there is governmental transparency in the USA, genuine democracy, able to bring down a President with the investigations of two journalists, and the guarantee that imperialist supremacy cannot exist, which historically speaking has only been possible in totalitarian regimes.

If we want to build a new, open, democratic Europe, we need the USA as well.

We propose to work in the future adopting this recognition as an underlying principle.
One last word on the fact that today, 11 September, has been chosen to found our Association. Today marks one year since the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York.

With this gesture we wish to show our solidarity to the American people, as well as to all those who lost family members in this most hideous crime.

And secondly, we wish to show our support for combating international terrorism.
Many will say, and with good reason, that combating terrorism also involves economic and social development, combating injustice and the excesses caused by the unequal distribution of income and wealth.

Combating under-development is, indeed, the best way in the long term to combat terrorism and, as a whole, political and social instability. But it is important to recognise that terrorism cannot just be overcome by promoting aid for development, with statements of intent or a show of goodwill, that is, with words alone.

Whenever necessary, combating terrorism involves the use of police and/or military forces against terrorists, against whoever acts in cowardice against defenceless civilians, and there is no sense in the argument that, in this as in other fields, there can be no preventative action.
And in this as in other issues, you cannot be neutral, or sit on the fence, when what is at stake is the right to a life lived in peace and freedom.

We are, then, a group of citizens aiming to strengthen cultural, economic and social relations between the Portuguese and Americans.

We are in agreement with the challenges that both communities aim to meet, and certain in our convictions on the way in which to achieve this.
These are our objectives for future intervention.

This will be our approach and one that we will adopt with great confidence and strong in our conviction that this is also one of the best ways of serving our interests as Portuguese and as Europeans.