This new association comes from initiatory contacts that since 2013 the Polish Guild of Gutenberg’s Knights has developed in Portugal, contacting Portuguese entrepreneurs and personalities, who share the same ideals and values, with the aim of creating the Portuguese branch of the Gutenberg's Knights.
The idea of this confraternity was born in France from where it was extended to Germany, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland and Poland. The Polish brotherhood, chaired by Chancellor Jacek Kuśmierczyk, promotes and defends the values of a just and fraternal Europe, spreading the language and culture of the people, contributing to the preservation of the printed word and its improvement and development. It also promotes literacy and the diffusion of education and culture, especially among children and adolescents.
The newly constituted, non-profit, Portuguese association, Cavaleiros de Gutenberg – Associação Lusófona (Lusophone Association of Gutenberg's Knights), aims to defend and promote the printed word, contributing by all the legal means in its reach to the preservation, diffusion, improvement and development of the printed communication of the countries of Portuguese culture and language.
To achieve its objectives, the association shall promote cultural and educational initiatives in the geographic and cultural area of Portuguese language.
The ceremony was led by the President of the Portuguese Association Prof. Luiz Humberto Jardim Marcos, during which 14 new members were inducted – new Knights from Portugal, India and Spain, who will contribute in their countries of origin to the promotion of this association.
The ceremony ended with a tribute to the promoter of this initiative, inducting as honorary member Chancellor of The Polish Guild of Gutenberg’s Knights, Jacek Kuśmierczyk in the presence of the Polish Ambassador, His Excellency Jacek Junosza Kisielewski.
The new inducted members are Adão Fernando Ferreira da Silva, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Multiponto, António Guilhermino Pires Research Professor of Graphic Arts, Domingos Dias da Silva Master Bookbinder and Manager of the Imprensa Portuguesa, Domingos Ferreira Oliveira, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gráfica Maiadouro, Eduardo Viana Production Manager of Bloco Gráfico, Fernando Manuel da Silva Alves da Rocha Journalist and Councilman of the Culture of the Municipality of Matosinhos, Ginés Ramirez del Solar, General Manager of Inapa Group in Spain and Portugal, Henrique Cayatte Designer and University Professor, João Palmeiro President of the Portuguese Press Association, Maria Manuela da Costa Ribeiro Writer and the Organizer of the event Correntes d'Escritas, Munish Aggarwal Industrialist of printing industry in India, Pablo Serrano Secretary-General of the associations Fespa & ASPACK, Paulo Sá Machado Journalist, Essayist, Historian and Teresa Borba Lawyer and General Manager of APIGRAF.
Present at the ceremony were also founding knights and Social entities of Portuguese Association, António de Sousa Ribeiro General Manager of SISTRADE, Luís Filipe Correia Technical Director of SISTRADE, Paulo Souto Director of Sistrade, José Lopes Castro President of APIGRAF, Carlos Coutinho General Manager of Ideal Artes Gráficas, Augusto Monteiro da Silva Chairman of the Board of Directors of Grafopel, Aurélio Mendiguchia Technical Director of Instituto Tajamar, Fernando Fontoura Director of the Legal Department of APIGRAF, João Henriques Baeta Administrator Olegário Fernandes, José Maria Pereira Managing Partner of MAGCOP, José Paulo Nunes de Almeida Chairman of the Board of AEP, José Barros General Manager and Administrator of Monteiro Ribas.
During the ceremony and in commemoration of the 550th anniversary of Gutenberg's death, Professor Guilhermino Pires presented the audience with an in-depth insight into Gutenberg's life.
