September Festival returns to Ourém’s Medieval Village

The September Festival is based on the identity of Ourém and the cosmopolitan spirit of the 4th Count of Ourém, Dom Afonso, to address the relationship between Cultural Heritage, the History of the Place and Interculturality in a festive atmosphere and through cultural enjoyment. Between September 8 and 10, the Medieval Village of Ourém will host cultural, knowledge and dialog initiatives around cultural diversity, inspired by the trajectories of Ourém’s emigration to France, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, as well as all the other destinations in the world.

Once the rehabilitation of the Castle and Palace of the Counts of Ourém is complete, the September Festival returns with a vast and diverse program, always under the theme “We Migrants”. With seminars, conferences, exhibitions, concerts, theater, visits to cultural heritage, literature, cinema, art installations, handicrafts and gastronomy inspired by the countries of destination of Ourém’s emigrants, there is no shortage of reasons to visit the September Festival and experience the disciplinary crossroads proposed and realized in co-creation with the local community.

Highlights include concerts by Aline Frazão (Angola), Selma Uamusse (Mozambique) and Luca Argel (Brazil), the theater shows “O descanso na tua voz” (Cão Danado), Trans(H)umância (Kopinxas) and “A Viagem” (Mãozorra), or the dance shows and workshops put on by local associations Arabesque and AMBO. There will also be room for cinema, with the screening of various documentary films and short films, as well as book presentations and guided tours of the historical and artistic heritage in the Medieval Village of Ourém. Gastronomy and handicrafts will be a constant in the buildings and streets of this historic center, as well as art installations and exhibitions, with Gérald Bloncourt’s photography exhibition “Por uma vida melhor” (For a better life) standing out.

The seminar “Trajectories of Portuguese emigration”, sponsored by the Emigration Observatory, will address the current panorama of Portuguese emigration, in addition to the various conferences and gatherings that will involve the participation of the local community and the partnerships of the High Commission for Migration and CRIA – Anthropology Research Network Center. The “World Around” space will also be created, with various initiatives aimed at families, such as the show “Sopa de Jerimu”, the meeting with the author of the book “Emigração. What a strange word!” and the story time “Filas de Sonhos”, by Rita Sineiro.

The September Festival is organized by the Municipality of Ourém, with various institutional, academic and cultural partnerships at national and local level. The municipality will provide a free transfer service to the Medieval Village of Ourém, in an event that is intended to be inclusive and wide-ranging, capable of involving all participants, visitors and the community of Ourém, and there is an open call for volunteers wishing to take part in this project, namely in the areas of mediation, production or technical areas.