How do you assess the importance of the Garça restaurant’s initiative in creating a room dedicated to the history of Lajes Base?

Initiatives like this are essential to preserving and sharing our History and our Collective Memory. A people without memory is a people without culture. We cannot allow the material and intangible heritage our ancestors left us to disappear. It is now—before time erodes and destroys even more—that we must look at the historical assets around us and preserve them, breathe life into them, and show that History matters. We cannot understand today without looking back and understanding yesterday. For that reason, the work undertaken by Garça restaurant is of immeasurable value to all of us.

In what ways did the American presence at Lajes Base transform the social, economic, and cultural life of Terceira throughout the twentieth century?

The Allied presence—first British, then American—left an indelible mark on Terceira during the second half of the twentieth century. This year, as we mark the 80th anniversary in October of the British departure from the island following World War II, it is important to underscore the role both the Allies and this island played in the global conflict and later throughout the Cold War.

When distinct cultures and mindsets interact, there is inevitably an initial clash of traditions and perspectives. Yet over time, that encounter also brings innovation, new knowledge, and practices that become woven into daily life. The transformation was tangible. Consider the military port at Praia, reshaped by the presence of Lajes Base, and the jobs it generated—employment that proved fundamental to the island’s development. The cultural impact was equally significant: new vocabulary, new technologies and skills, the introduction of different food products and consumer goods, new habits and ways of life. So much was shaped by that presence—whether for better or for worse.

What significance do you attribute to the objects collected in building the island’s collective memory?

Terceira is a land rich in History and Heritage, elements that shaped not only the island’s development but also that of the Region and the country. We can—and must—draw upon that relevance by remembering the roles we have played over time. Keeping our Collective Memory alive is a responsibility.

History is not some distant, irrelevant past. It is the result of the path our grandparents walked in order to build and develop the society we now inhabit. Only by understanding that journey can we truly know who we are, comprehend the environment we live in, and make sense of the world around us.

The relationship between Terceirenses and American servicemen is often described as “magical” or liberating. What less visible or more complex aspects of that relationship do you believe are important to recover today?

The American presence brought change and novelty to the island—much of it positive, even magical and liberating. But not all of it was without complications. That is part of any encounter between cultures and mentalities that differ so profoundly.

I believe it is important to learn more about the British presence, which is often overlooked. We must better understand the island’s role throughout the Cold War and examine how the Base was used at critical moments—both during the Salazar era, when it served as a pillar of political stability, and during key periods of American administration, when two historic summits held on Terceira marked the beginning of new chapters in global affairs. We must cultivate a critical perspective when analyzing this subject.

With the gradual passing of the generations who lived through the height of the Base’s influence, what strategies do you consider essential to ensure that oral testimonies are not lost and remain accessible to future generations?

This is one of the concerns that has most compelled me to speak publicly about the importance of preserving and disseminating our History and Memory. Whenever I speak with young people about stories from the Base, they are captivated. We must draw this younger generation into these themes of Culture and Knowledge.

To safeguard the memory of Lajes Base, interviews are essential. We need audiovisual records that capture the lived experiences and knowledge of those who witnessed that era firsthand. We need more initiatives featuring archival videos and photographs, more opportunities for intergenerational dialogue between youth and those who lived through those times. We must be active in defending what is ours—bringing yesterday into today.

In Diário Insular- José Lourenço-director.