As the sun sets in the west, a glow that comes not from the sky lights the path to new horizons. AMISTAD is departing Portugal with a glow of accomplishment, for the ship, for the programs, for our state and for the nation.

 During our stay in this beautiful country we have met face to face and presented the Amistad story and it’s importance to over 800 students from the schools in Lisbon, Traveled to the sites of the beginnings of the Atlantic Slave Trade, participated in a colloquium with leading Portuguese scholars, we were visited by the American Ambassador and his staff, were welcomed by dancers from Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde and other Afro-Portuguese communities accompanied by drummers from Brazil. We even had a Halloween Party the included Danish School ship students and local friends.

Our reception and support by the Luso-American Foundation, CHAM, Camara de Comercio America em Portugal, and the Universidade Nova de Lisbon was greatly appreciated. Buses to Lagos and Sagres, welcomes by the Mayor of Lagos and tours lead by the Directors of historic site were part of the VIP treatment we received.

The highlight of our stay was the Inter-Faith day sail. Our beautiful vessel gliding smoothly down the river under the bridge that is a smaller version of the Golden Gate. The sails being raised by young  women and men from the Jewish and Muslim communities side by side with the members of our students and crew many of who were Christian. Talking, laughing and sharing the lyrics of songs that they all know. This whole scene being looked down upon from the hill next to the bridge by the statue of Christ the Redeemer that is same as the one that looks down on the harbor of Rio de Janeiro.

This is why we came; to bring people together to explore not the differences but rather their similarities. We had started he ball rolling, members of the organizers were ecstatic and were saddened that we could not do more of these type of sails. I introduced them to a local ship owner who had the perfect site to continue this type of interaction long after we were gone.

Our presence in Lisbon and everywhere we went in Portugal was a statement of what Amistad means: Friendship. We made friends everywhere, our interpreters, our dock mates, the Immigration Police who stopped over regularly to see how we were doing and just plain Amistad “Groupies”. Our stay in Cascais was wonderful the beauty, tranquility and access to facilities that we crave: hot showers, flush toilets, washing machines and ice cream within fifty paces.  This is heaven for our sailors and will be hard to reproduce as we move south.

Yes, there is a glow as we leave, not only in our hearts but in the smiles of those who watch us depart.

BOA VIAGEM AMISTAD

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