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Portuguese President: 'Nothing is more profoundly human than architecture'
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Elections & Politics

Portuguese President: 'Nothing is more profoundly human than architecture'

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stated that "nothing is more profoundly human than architecture" during an event in Barcelona.
  • He was speaking at the presentation of the Gold Medal of the International Union of Architects (UIA) to Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura.
  • The event, held at the Sagrada Familia basilica, also included the UIA's Triennial Prizes and was attended by various dignitaries.

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa asserted that "nothing is more profoundly human than architecture" during a ceremony in Barcelona where renowned Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura received the Gold Medal of the International Union of Architects (UIA) 2026. The prestigious award ceremony took place at the iconic Sagrada Familia basilica.

nothing is more profoundly human than architecture

— António José SeguroPortuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa's opening statement at the UIA Gold Medal ceremony.

Speaking at the event, which also honored the UIA's Triennial Prizes, President Rebelo de Sousa highlighted Souto de Moura's international projection of Portuguese culture. He described the architect as "a passionate sage, a master of modern architecture, and an artist" whose work addresses "the problems of the human condition."

one of the greatest of ours

— António José SeguroPresident Rebelo de Sousa's description of Eduardo Souto de Moura.

The President further emphasized that Souto de Moura's architecture teaches people "to learn to edit the earth." He noted that architecture prompts crucial questions about "citizenship, economy, environment, and human mobility," positioning the architect's work as a means of building "bridges" between science, art, and life.

a passionate sage, a master of the modern architecture and an artist

— António José SeguroPresident Rebelo de Sousa's characterization of the award recipient, Eduardo Souto de Moura.

The ceremony was a significant institutional recognition of Souto de Moura's career, characterized by intelligence, restraint, rigor, and social responsibility. The event gathered representatives from Portugal, Spain, Catalonia, and Barcelona, alongside officials from the UIA and Spanish and Catalan architectural bodies. Spanish Minister of Culture Ernest Urtasun and Catalan President Salvador Illa were among the notable attendees.

learn to edit the earth

— António José SeguroPresident Rebelo de Sousa's interpretation of Eduardo Souto de Moura's architectural philosophy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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