"It is necessary that in our schools, in Portugal and in the Portuguese-speaking countries, we teach the truth: the 25th of April was built in Portugal, in Angola, in Mozambique, in São Tomé and Príncipe, in Guinea-Bissau and in Cape Verde, and our presence on this anniversary is a deserved tribute to the heroes of the anti-colonialist struggle and to the young Portuguese captains who on the 25th of April put an end to a regime that subjugated our peoples", said the Mozambican President.

Speaking during his speech at the ceremony that marks the 50 years of the 25th of April, and which brings together at the Belém Cultural Centre the Presidents of the countries of the former colonies, with the exception of Brazil, represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Filipe Nyusi stated that this anniversary is "the celebration of victory in a shared struggle".

In his speech, the Mozambican Head of State stressed that those who were at war were not the Portuguese and Mozambican peoples, but rather soldiers who were forced to comply with orders "from a fascist regime" from which the young people found it difficult to escape, on the one hand, and a people united by the desire for freedom, on the other.

"We appreciate the stance of the leaders of the new Portuguese generation, guided by high moral stature and humanism", said Nyusi, adding that "Portugal recognises the mistakes made against the peoples who fought for freedom, mistakes that are inexcusable, dishonour our history and deserve the condemnation of those who respect life and human dignity".

However, this does not distance the good relations between Portugal and the Portuguese-speaking countries, continued Nyusi, pointing out as an example the fact that the presidents of the Portuguese-speaking African countries have all accepted the invitation to come to Lisbon to celebrate the 25th of April.

"The invitation to come here is very deliberate, but even if I had not been invited, I would have come anyway, as we do on family birthdays", joked Nyusi, at the beginning of his speech, which comes in the same week that a delegation of more than 80 Mozambican businessmen was in the Porto, Sines and Lisbon region to promote business between the two countries.

"The mass presence of our countries to celebrate the 25th of April shows that the Portuguese-speaking peoples are united by common histories, the ties are intertwined and crystallised, and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is to be congratulated for bringing together the family that yesterday fought for the smile of today's children", said Nyusi, concluding: "The Mozambicans are here to reaffirm their interest in continuing to strengthen relations of friendship with the Portuguese people and with the other brother peoples of the Portuguese-speaking world, we will be together forever".

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