Portugal’s President António José Seguro and Prime Minister Luís Montenegro are making a historic joint official visit to Luxembourg, marking the first time that both Portuguese leaders have visited the Grand Duchy together in an official capacity. The Portuguese delegation arrived at Luxembourg Airport on Friday evening and will remain in the country until Monday as part of celebrations surrounding Portugal Day and to highlight the contribution of Luxembourg’s Portuguese community.
President Seguro and his wife, Margarida Maldonado Freitas, were formally welcomed outside the Grand Ducal Palace on Saturday morning by Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stéphanie, Prime Minister Luc Frieden, Luxembourg City Mayor Lydie Polfer, and other dignitaries. The ceremony included military honours, the playing of both national anthems and a review of the troops.
The visit is centred on recognising the role the Portuguese community has played in Luxembourg’s development. Portuguese nationals and residents of Portuguese origin make up one of the country’s largest foreign communities.
Following a meeting with the Grand Ducal couple and an official luncheon, Seguro will hold talks with Chamber of Deputies President Claude Wiseler, Prime Minister Luc Frieden, and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel. Discussions are set to focus largely on current European affairs and bilateral relations.
On Saturday afternoon, the Portuguese president will travel to Dudelange, where he will be presented with ‘Testemunhos – 60 Years of Portuguese in Luxembourg, 30 Testimonies’, a publication documenting the experiences of Portuguese migrants in the Grand Duchy. The visit coincides with Saint Anthony festivities organised by Dudelange’s Portuguese community.
Seguro and his wife will also attend the opening of Atlas Lusitano, an exhibition by Portuguese artist Frederico Ferreira at the Camões Portuguese Cultural Centre in Merl. Through paintings and sculptures, the exhibition explores Portuguese identity, memory, and contemporary cultural change.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and his wife join the programme later on Saturday, ahead of a dinner hosted by Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden.
On Sunday, the Portuguese president and prime minister will visit the Artikuss Cultural Centre in Sanem, where they will meet pupils involved in the project ‘Para min, Portugal é…’ (‘For me, Portugal is…’), which invites young people to reflect on their links to Portugal through writing and film.
The official visit will conclude with a gathering of Luxembourg’s Portuguese community at the Philharmonie Luxembourg in the presence of Grand Duke Guillaume. Addresses will be delivered by President Seguro, Prime Minister Montenegro, and Portugal Day commemorations committee president Miguel Monjardino before a concert by Portuguese singer-songwriter António Zambujo.
