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THURSDAY, June 9
For FCS Board Members
Convento do Espinheiro, Evora
04:30pm-07:30pm FCS Board meeting, San Jeronimo room
08:30pm Board dinner, Cistern Hall
For FCS Members and partners and YFCS
Convento do Espinheiro, Evora
08:30pm (optional) Welcome dinner, Cloisters
CONVENTO DO ESPINHEIRO : Location for the Board meeting, Welcome Dinner, Board dinner, General Assembly & Conference, Lunch and Workshop.
Fascinating for its history, authentic for its charm.
The origins of the Convento do Espinheiro are connected to a legend that tells of an apparition of the Virgin Mary above a thorn-bush (= Espinheiro) around the year 1400. In 1412, an oratory was built in honour of Our Lady and finally in 1458, during the reign of King Afonso V, and due to increasing pilgrimage, a church and convent were built and settled by monks of the Order of St. Jerónimo.
During the 15th and 16th century, this convent was frequently visited by the Portuguese monarchs who, as a result of an enormous devotion to the Virgin, granted the convent countless valuable gifts. King Afonso V, for example, when leaving for the East Coast of Africa, made a promise to Our Lady of Espinheiro to help him in battle. As a result of his victory, he made Her an offer of a silver statue which represented himself on horse-back. King João II, son of King Afonso, inherited his father’s devotion and whenever in Évora, visited the convent where in fact he held Parliament in 1481. He would many times spend the night at the convent and isolate himself in the church until dawn.
King Manuel I also visited the convent regularly with rich offerings for the Virgin. It is said that it was while staying at the convent that King Manuel was brought news of the discovery of India by Vasco da Gama, although this cannot be verified.
Another frequent visitor of the Convento do Espinheiro was King João III who chose this place as pantheon for his daughter Princess Beatriz and son, Prince Manuel.
King Sebastião was said to have walked many times from Évora to the convent where he lived the life of the monks and slept in a simple cell. King Sebastião was a great lover of bullfights and actually ordered the building of an arena where he himself would sometimes challenge a bull, cheered by the monks. Several foreign monarchs also visited the Convento do Espinheiro, such as Philip II of Spain who, on becoming King of Portugal, often chose this convent for his lodgings. In 1663, Prince John of Austria used the convent for his men’s head-quarters during the War of the Restoration.
Whilst making a general appreciation of the presence of the Convento do Espinheiro in the history of Portugal, one can say that these stones were once witness to the passage of many illustrious figures. Kings, queens, great men and great ladies of the court, due to their devotion and generosity, contributed to the magnificence of this convent which will always be indissolubly connected to the life of the Court.
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FRIDAY, June 10
Evora, Convento do Espinheiro, D.Vasco Hall
For FCS and YFCS members
09:00am-11:00am 25th Friends of the Countryside General Assembly
Welcome- Michael zu SALM SALM, FCS President
Introduction- François LAPLACE, FCS Member for Portugal
Formalities- 25th FCS General Assembly
Approval of the minutes FCSGA 2021 in Cordoba, Approval of Candidate FCS Members
ELO Achievements- Thierry de l'ESCAILLE, CEO & Secretary General
Accounts and budget- Anne MARCHADIER, ELO Director and Business Development and Finance
Young Friends of the Countryside- Marie-Christine SCHÖNBORN, Head of YF committee
2022: September Study tour- Jack TENISON, FCS Board Member
2023- March Study tour- Joe HOAGLAND, FCS Board Member
June 2023- FCS 26th General Assembly- presentation
Varia
Q&A
11:00am-11:30am Coffee break and group photo at 11:20am
11:30am-12:45pm Conference: "Landowners committed to Biodiversity, using creative solutions"
Welcome- Michael zu SALM SALM, FCS President
Introduction-
Antonio GONCALVES FERREIRA, President of UNAC
Antonio PAULA SOARES, President of ANPC
Keynote- HE the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Maria DO CEU ANTUNES
Insights from the European Commission- Humberto DELGADO ROSA, Director, DG for Environment, Biodiversity
The role of Landowners- Thierry de l'ESCAILLE, CEO and Secretary General
Conclusion- Antonio AMORIM, CEO Corticeira Amorim
Moderated by Ana ROCHA, ELO, Director of European Policies
12:45pm-01:00pm Famigro Award ceremony
Presented and awarded by Karl GROTENFELT, FCS Board member
For Partners
09:00am Meet at Convento do Espinheiro, departure by bus
Visit of Monsaraz, Sao Pedro do Corval and Reguengos de Monsaraz
Visit of a blanket and carpet weaving factory to observe the manufacturing process during a guided tour.
We will also see the Alqueva, the largest strategic water reserve in Europe, a dammed lake with an area of
250km2 making it possible to supply the Alentejo with water even in times of drought and also producing
hydro electric power.
Visit of the medieval village of Monsaraz voted one of the most beautiful villages in Portugal.
Its privileged location at the top of the hill overlooking the Guadiana River and the Spanish border has made this village a highly coveted place. We will visit the medieval castle, the Jewish history interpretation centre, the fresco museum, the cistern, the church of our lady of the lagoon….all this while walking through the lovely narrow streets.
Visit of São Pedro do Corval, the pottery village
The tradition of pottery in São Pedro do Corval dates back to prehistoric times, thanks to the existence of
clay deposits with specific characteristics in this region. São Pedro do Corval, which has more than twenty potteries, is the largest pottery centre in the country.
Reguengos de Monsaraz
Visit to the weaving factory of the traditional Manta Alentejana in Reguengos de Monsaraz
For All
01:30pm-03:00pm Lunch at Convento do Espinheiro, Divinus restaurant
Afternoon
Option 1 (FCS & YFCS)
03:30pm-05:15pm Workshop "Generational Handover, When?", San Jeronimo room, Convento do Espinheiro
Introduction- Michael zu SALM SALM, FCS President and Marie-Christine SHÖNBORN, Head of YFCS
Presentation "Family governance- enabling successful generational transfers"- Benjamin VETTERLI, LGT, senior family advisor,
Panel 1:"Sharing the legacy", Karl GROTENFELT
Panel 2: "Ready to take over? Adapting to the New Times", Emilio NAVARRO and daughter Claudia
Panel 3: "Passing the torch", Ilonka JANKOVICH de JESZENICE and brother Bela JANKOVICH de JESZENICE
"An American perspective", Joe HOAGLAND and daughter Anne BAUER, Family Business Transition 5th and 6th generation
Moderator; Jurgen TACK
Q&A and conclusions
Option 2 (FCS only)
03:30pm-06:30pm (optional) Visit Evora and wine tasting
Groups will be split into 3 according to language - French - English - Dutch
An afternoon in Evora and its region: between tradition, history and modernity.
Évora, the current capital of the Alentejo region, but also the gastronomic capital of the Portugal, is also home to a renowned university.
Already in Roman times, the ancient “Liberalitas Julia”, was an important commercial and historical center of the Iberian Peninsula.
Its grandiose monuments, the wealth of its museums, the picturesque customs of its people, the elegance of its fountains, the beauty of the cloisters of its convents, its buildings architectural features, the enchanting landscape
with which it is surrounded, are worth to this magnificent city the well-deserved nickname of City-Museum.