April and May were and are times for change and for the Future, but they were also uncertain.

Globalization is a reality that cannot be ignored or denied in any of its dimensions: financial, economic, political, informational, social, and cultural.

The deregulation of markets and the new transnational and informational centers of power are increasingly questioning the nation-state and the power of democratically organized citizens. They are fostering the continuous increase of those who are excluded, marginalized, and dismissed by the system, making them easy prey for demagoguery, populism, and authoritarianism.

 At this stage of world affairs, we see atomized societies, inequalities, dissatisfaction, and frustration growing. The control of processes often escapes the political power of states; democratic control is fragile or does not exist at all.

Authoritarianism, even in democratic countries, is on the rise, which requires a clear response from citizens and democratic forces, raising their level of knowledge and awareness, preparing for the fight for the defense and deepening of democracy, valuing collaborative, cooperative, and inclusive processes.

 To respond to global problems that concern all of humanity and the safeguarding of life on Earth, it is necessary to seek and articulate solutions guided by universal and timeless values that allow us to combine capacities and contributions from different countries, backgrounds, and cultures.

The 25 de Abril Association has been reflecting on these issues in conferences, debates, and magazines.

The April 25 celebrations are yet another opportunity to see the universality and timelessness of April’s values in the light of our historical practice and our ability to understand and know how to combine very different efforts and knowledge.

April (the Carnation Revolution) continues to inspire Portugal, Europe, and the world.

April reveals itself when we can add contributions and add value; April manifests itself in the generous capacity for integration, cooperation, and collaboration between people and peoples from different cultures and continents; once again, in Portugal and abroad, we feel how deep and strong the widespread feeling of adherence and appropriation of the values and ideals of April is.

The strength of the 45th-anniversary celebrations, in many different places, the solid popular participation often surprised the promoters and organizers.

This year, for the first time, the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister attended the 25th April commemorative dinner organized by A25A at Estufa Fria.

In this issue of Referencial, we report on the many celebrations of the 45th anniversary of April 25:

 Institutional, by A25A, by many Town Halls, and by various entities and associations in Portugal, Canada, and Galicia, naming only those where A25A was present. In addition to these, we are aware of many others in Portugal and abroad.

We want to highlight the celebration in the Portuguese Parliament, the April 25 dinner, the widespread commemorations in Lisbon and Porto, the Retratos de Abril show at the Coliseum, the conferences: April 3 – History and Memory on the A25A and May 6 at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation – Europe the new struggles for the Future, evocation of the release of political prisoners from Peniche and Caxias, Memorials in Peniche, Lisbon and Oeiras, youth festivals in Almada, Oeiras and Cascais, Nautical festival and April 25 regatta in Oeiras, Freedom Run. Places of April in Lisbon, the launch of the commemorative coin by the Casa da Moeda on the A25A, silkscreen by José de Guimarães, poster by Henrique Cayate, medal by José Aurélio, painting by Chaimite in partnership with the António Arroio School, an exhibition on the A25A of works by students from the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo alluding to April 25, multiple lectures in dozens of schools, April Today project, À Procura do Poeta project, collaboration with the DGE.

 We want to highlight the speeches made by representatives of the Sovereign Bodies and members of the A25A at the ceremonies in Peniche, Caxias/Oeiras, Castelo de Vide, Santarém, Porto, and Lisbon, as well as the commemorations held in Viana do Castelo and by Caixa Geral de Depósitos:

– “The Night that Changed the April Revolution” – Military Assembly of March 11, 1975

– The play “Everybody Leaves or None Leaves”

– What to do with you, Dad?

– Freedom Days”

We published an article by Mota Amaral at the March 8 conference and an opinion piece on Populism by Muniz Sodré, professor emeritus at the University of Rio de Janeiro.

Pezarat Correia’s column Jango helps us understand the interplay of forces and interests that manifested in Angola before and after April 25.

Three comrades have left for their last journey, fighters for freedom and democracy. They leave us with a strong sense of loss compensated by the certainty that younger ones will follow their example of courage, bravery, and patriotism.

In defense of the Portuguese language, we highlight a petition and appeal by ADEPBA (Association of Portuguese Teachers in Official French Education)

April points us in the direction of the integral education of citizens, culture for all, cooperation, solidarity, and universalism to adequately solve our time’s complex problems.

Admiral Martins Guerreiro was one of the young groups of military officers who set forth the Carnation Revolution in Portugal. This was written for Portugal’s 45th anniversary of the April 25th Revolution. This year, Portugal and the world commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the Carnation Revolution. For those who speak Portuguese, look at the wonderful program the PBBI put forth with the collaboration of Commander Jorge Bettencourt and other entities to commemorate the Spirt of April, or the April Values, with young people from both sides of the Atlantic. Admiral Martins Guerreiro was one of the participants. The program was titles: The Color of Freedom–A Cor da Liberdade.

Carnations of Freedom – California commemorates the Golden Jubilee of Portugal’s Revolution on April 25th, 1974.

Our weekly segment focuses on writings that commemorate the Carnation Revolution in Portugal. April 25th of 1974 was a date that brought Portugal out of the darkness of a fifty-year dictatorship into a flourishing democracy. PBBI-Fresno State commemorates this Golden Jubilee with an array of events, including these weekly segments on Filamentos.