This stamp issue, promoted by CTT Correios de Portugal, marks the centenary of the birth of Mário Soares and Maria Barroso, two prominent figures in Portuguese history and symbols of the fight for freedom and democracy.
The life of Mário Soares (1924-2017) was a tireless battle for freedom and an incessant fight for democracy, human rights, peace and solidarity among people, as well as social and economic progress and respect for the environment and ecology.
A firm opponent of the Estado Novo regime since his youth, Mário Soares actively and persistently fought for the country's freedom, enduring twelve stints in prison, deportation and exile. He founded the Socialist Party, of which he was leader for more than a decade. After the 25 April Revolution, he became the face of democratic Portugal, fighting arduously for the establishment of a pluralist, representative and European regime, as well as a strong and inclusive welfare state.
As an ardent Europeanist, he thought, wrote and debated about Europe, both during the dictatorship and after its return to democracy, and was decisive in achieving Portugal’s membership of the European Communities.
Mário Soares believed that solidarity, tolerance, social justice, equal opportunities, civic participation, defence of human rights, preservation of the environment and cultural heritage, and the right to difference were fundamental values for which it was worth fighting, to build a free, open and progressive society.
As a politician of conviction and a man of action, he never faltered in his beliefs or gave up the struggle until the end of his life, always with great courage and an inexhaustible joy for life.
Maria Barroso (1925-2015) devoted her life to human and social causes, promoting them both politically and artistically.
An opponent of the Estado Novo regime, she embraced culture as an act of resistance and a tool for transforming the country. A renowned theatre and film actor, whose career was interrupted by political events, she also loved poetry, which she recited in an inimitable fashion. A dedicated teacher who defended education as a fundamental pillar of society, she was constantly active, in Portugal and abroad, in the defence of human rights and humanist values of freedom, justice, peace and solidarity among people.
She always showed a strong commitment to social justice and peace, and had a keen awareness of more vulnerable populations. She created the Pro Dignitate Foundation, dedicated to promoting human rights and preventing violence, and played a vital role in various humanitarian organisations, including the Portuguese Red Cross, of which she was president.
Remembering Mário Soares and Maria Barroso on the centenary of their birth is an invitation to celebrate freedom and to ponder the future of democracy, and an appeal never to give up on the fight for a better future.
Fundação Mário Soares e Maria Barroso
