Unarchiving Democracy: Youth, Post-Colonial Memory and the Portuguese Democratic Path

On 23 and 24 April 2026, the international meeting “FREI – From Resistance to European Integration” will take place in Lisbon, under the theme “Unarchiving Democracy: Youth, post-colonial memory and the construction of democracy in Portugal”.

This initiative will bring together primarily young participants, as well as researchers and European institutions, to reflect on the relationship between democratic memory, post-colonial legacies and the contemporary challenges facing democracy.

Over two days, the programme will include testimonies, debates, workshops and visits to sites of memory, exploring how archives, historical memory and civic engagement can contribute to strengthening democratic values and combating racism and discrimination.

The meeting will begin at the Aljube Museum - Resistance and Freedom and will continue at the Mário Soares and Maria Barroso Foundation, also including a session at the Monument to the Discoveries.

The full programme will be announced soon. The event will be held in English.

This initiative is part of the European project FREI – From Resistance to European Integration, funded by the CERV programme – Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values of the European Union.