Côrte-Real Symposium pays tribute to Portuguese navigators in Tavira

The Tavira City Council is promoting, on the 16th and 17th of May, between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm, at the Álvaro de Campos Municipal Library, the «II Côrte-Real Symposium».

This initiative, free of charge and aimed at the general public, is organized by the Côrte-Real Study Commission of the Lisbon Geographical Society , with the support of the local authority, the Mirpuri Foundation and the Vila Galé Hotels.

This is a symposium that includes 19 papers that address topics related to the voyages of João Vaz Côrte-Real and his sons, Gaspar and Miguel, in the Northwest Atlantic during the 15th and 16th centuries.

The event aims to pay tribute to and promote this period of history and the Côrte-Reais family of navigators, the city of Tavira as the birthplace of this family, as well as the late José Manuel Ferreira Coelho, former president of the Côrte-Real Study Commission, who had roots in this city.

This event also follows the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the Lisbon Geographical Society, which are taking place throughout this year.

For more information, interested parties should contact the organization by telephone (919 964 738).

Program:

May 16th 10:00 am: Opening of the proceedings 10:30 am: Invocation of Professor Ferreira Coelho – Alexandre da Fonseca and Óscar Caeiro Pinto 11:00 am: João Vaz Corte-Real – José Rodrigues Pereira 12:00: Gaspar & Miguel Corte-Real – José Mattos e Silva and António Mattos e Silva 1:00 pm: Lunch break 2:30 pm: The physical conditioning of the North Atlantic and the Art of Sailing in the Time of the Corte-Reais – José Malhão Pereira 3:00 pm: Life on board the discovery ships – José Moreira Braga 3:30 pm: Reflections on the Côrte-Real navigators and their expeditions to the New World, in the work of Henry Harisse – João Côrte-Real 4:00 pm: Coffee break 4:15 pm: Commentary on Sophus Larssen’s book “The discovery of North America 20 years Before Columbus” – Alexandre da Fonseca 4:45 pm: The exploration of the American continent by the Portuguese. Who would arrive first? Cod fishermen or Navigators? – João Senos da Fonseca

17:15 – Cod fishing in the seas of Newfoundland: A success story that ends up on the Portuguese table – Ana Proserpio