The Association Domvs Egitanae was founded in 2000 by Bruno Caldeira, who wanted to conceive something outstanding in its village, “Bemposta do Campo”, that was, and still continues, growing old. His purpose was a collective entity creation to put into action a new vision to try to fight against cultural and social poverty. This idea had begun from the television history documentary "Horizontes da Memória" hosted by Professor José Hermano Saraiva that had described with amazing detail the “Penamacor” history. One of the places described was the old roman council, “Egitânia”, which main centre was located where nowadays “Idanha-a-Velha” is placed, but its territory extent was larger, including also what is now all the “Penamacor”, “Idanha-a-Velha” and “Castelo Branco” councils area. During the ancient roman occupation this place was prosperous and with a population of about 250 000 persons.
Curiously, the Association’s legal constitution was on 21st of January of 2002 but only one year later Domvs Egitanae had started the development of its own project and its brand image promotion.
The Domvs Egitanae beginning of was very complex, like it was happen with its legal constitution, with the first inside conflicts arising. Although these initial problems, in the begging of 2003 a photographic exposition called "Da Terra ao Céu" was performed, firstly in “Bemposta do Campo”, during all January, which actually was the first type of this king of initiative done in the region. Then, the exposition was moved to “Penamacor”, specifically to the “Ribeiro Sanches” School. This scholar institution has given also the support for the Association’s first participation in FACEP, which is an exhibition of economic activities in “Penamacor”. The Domvs Egitanae black t-shirts exclusively created for this event were very popular to all public of FACEP.
Other activity developed by the association, with a lot of proud for everyone, was the recover of the old ritual of the Carnival’s Funeral that was made in “Bemposta do Campo”, without council’s institutional support, which was always refused. It should be pointed out that the Domvs Egitanae participation in “Penamacor” carnival was centred in this ritual, as it was an old tradition that was beginning to disappear.
In December a lecture about the some technical graduations was given in Ribeiro Sanches School and this was the association last initiative.
THE REGIONS AUTHORITY
Despite the Domvs Egitanae projects and work developed, anyone could imagine that in the short time a conference organization could be possible. However, in March of 2003, the conference entitled by “The regions authority” has been made and it was possible to set together university teachers, politics and the person in charge for the youth policy of “Castelo Branco” region and in which Professor “Martins da Cruz”, leader of the Minerva Foundation that is responsible for “Lusíada” University, presence was particularly important. This conference has opened the debate about the human abandonment from interior regions and some measures that should be taken to fight against this social degradation have been suggested. This event was also visible to the media with the important presence of the regional newspapers “Reconquista” and “Gazeta do Interior” and of the radio stations “Cova da Beira” and “Voz da Raia”. That was, with no doubts, the first greatest event organized by Domvs Egitanae.
THE FINNISH RELATIONSHIP
In the end of 2003, an initiative about the northern countries was planned, which it was supposed to be the first international relationship activity. In spite of some good intentions from the northern embassies present in Portugal, when a real project regarding a “Scandinavian Week” has came through the support requested was denied. The last chance to this project was the Finnish Embassy and when everyone was expecting a refusal, the answer from them was the following declaration: “The Ambassador had enjoyed a lot your project”. Yes, these words from the diplomatic representation of the Kalevala country were magic.
From that moment on, the connections between Domvs Egitanae and Finnish Embassy were being developed. The first result was cooperation on the “Scandinavian Week” project and then the cultural assistant had participated in the debate about “Education trough Europe” with an intervention focussed in the Finnish educational system.
On 15th of November of 2007, the most important moment of the association had happened with the presentation of Kalevala, the Finnish National Epic, in “Penamacor” Palace Council. The teachers from Algarve University of Algarve, Ana Isabel Soares and Merja de Mattos-Parreira made the translation to Portuguese language of this presentation and Finnish Ambassador, Mr. Esko Kiuru, was also present as sponsor.
After the Finnish diplomatic visit to “Penamacor” invited by Domvs Egitanae the relationship with the City Hall was frozen without any reason. The question to be made could be “Had the visit of an Ambassador trough Domvs Egitanae invitation bothered some people in the City Hall?”
Facing the pride of some people from “Penamacor”, Domvs Egitanae had turned to “Castelo Branco” and with the support of the Technical University the initiative “1st Finnish Week” was organized, with the objective of showing some of that Northern Country culture. The debate “The Culture of Death on the Extremes” focussed in the differences between religions on the matter of death was also realized.
The conference “The Economical Diplomacy versus The Cultural Diplomacy” have finished the thematic week and with the presence of the Ambassador Esko Kiuru once again, as well as some politic persons from “Penamacor”, “Idanha-a-Nova” and “Castelo Branco”, the Finland’s Trade Centre Country Manager of and also the Ibero-American Institute of Finlad director, Professor Timo Riiho. The farewell was at the “Suomi Party” supported by the pub “Bar Património” with the DJ Yari performance.
In 2005 the “2nd Finnish Week” took place in May, due the ended of the Ambassador Esko Kiuru mission in Portugal, thus this event was also a tribute and acknowledgment to all the support given from him to the Domvs Egitanae.
In this last initiative about Finland, the programme was centred in politic, economy and culture subjects. In the cultural topic, the exposition “100 Penguins – The Migrating Birds” from Leena – Maija Kiuru had particular importance, as it was firstly in Lisbon, specifically in the “Oceanário de Lisboa”, then in Algarve and finally it have landed also in “Castelo Branco”. Taking in account that 2005 was considered the year of Finnish design, a conference with the subject “The Finnish Design” was realized in the “Castelo Branco” with the presence of Aila Kolehmainen, the Finland Design Forum communications director, among others. On 19th of May this activity have finished with the “The Portuguese and Finnish Vision about the European Constitutional Treaty” conference, which had the European Parliament delegates, Riitta Myller and Jamila Madeira, as primary speakers, with the purpose of talking about some sensitive matter from that restructuring project of the European Union. It should be pointed out that the Portuguese television channel, RTP, have made a news report about the Domvs Egitanae initiatives in their program “RTP Regiões”.
Latter, Domvs Egitanae had started a long-standing reflexion period and therefore the change of its objective was decided and from now on the work would be to go ahead with the European culture promotion and to strengthen the international connection with other countries.
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