Jorge Chaminé receives the City of Porto Medal of Merit: A Tribute to the Spirit of July 9th

At this July 9th official ceremony held at the Casa do Roseiral, the Mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira, presented Jorge Chaminé with the City of Porto Medal of Merit, a distinction he chose to symbolically associate with July 9, 1832 — the date of D. Pedro IV’s arrival in Porto.

In accepting the award, Jorge Chaminé highlighted the inspiration he draws from the city’s undefeated history: “Porto is not just a place, it is a way of being. Porto does not surrender; it defends ideas with conviction, welcomes openly, and keeps its word.” This recognition is an unequivocal tribute to the career of this singer who carried the name of Porto and Portugal to the four corners of the earth, and to the great servant of music who, in a unique and visionary way, founded the largest holistic project centred on music: the Centre Européen de Musique (CEM).

A committed European, Jorge Chaminé has fought body and soul to ensure that Porto and Portugal are active participants in this project, having founded CEM Portugal, which is part of a network with hubs in France, Spain, Italy, Austria and Portugal, and is in the process of expanding to Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary and Poland, with further internationalisation planned in Brazil, Colombia and Abu Dhabi.

Widely honoured, Jorge Chaminé is an Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of the French government. He was awarded the European Helena Vaz da Silva Prize 2023 and the Prize for the Best European Initiative, a distinction he shared with philosopher Edgar Morin, underscoring his commitment to culture, European citizenship, and the dialogue between arts and thought.

Recalling the spirit of resistance and hope during the Siege of Porto, Jorge Chaminé stressed that “accepting this medal means committing to serve the common good with the same courage and determination.”

The City of Porto Medal of Merit honours individuals or institutions that make an outstanding contribution to the city’s prestige and development.