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Dear friends! Welcome to Seia, city of the heart of Portugal, and to the third edition of the International Song Festival of Serra da Estrela! Gradually, this Festival has coming to know more divulgation, which is not strange the number of competitors of the region that participate in it. Proof of this is that after two years of proven timidity of the local voices (there was a single representative from Seia in the first two editions), this year the leap was made and we passed from an interpreter to... nine! To these eight voices of the county of Seia and to one of Covilhã, eleven national interpreters are joined (coming from Corroios, Pombal, Figueira da Foz, Paços de Ferreira and Funchal), and 32 foreigners, from various sources, in a total of 51 competitors. Newcomer countries to this third edition of the Festival: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Chile, China and Switzerland. |
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One of the guarantees of the future and the continuity of this Festival is
that it gradually goes beyond the merely artistic and cultural dimension of
the event itself, to become part of the economic and social fabric of the
region. The five-day stay of about two hundred visitors (from different
generations and backgrounds) will certainly leave their mark on the movement
and dynamics they will bring to the local commerce. In this context, we are pleased to note that, edition after edition, is increasing the support and sponsorship that will one day enable the Festival to achieve its own self-support. In order for that goal to be achieved, the conditions have already been released, which go through the logistic bases created by Seia's Town Hall (promoter of the Festival), the Seia Municipal Assembly and the Union of Parishes of Seia, São Romão and Lapa dos Dinheiros. Also to register the strong support of the Tourism of the Centre of Portugal. To these institutional supports, and now in a commercial ambit, several sponsors, representatives of national and local brands are added: Visabeira, Crédito Agrícola, Grupo BEL, ALB (Área Logística da Bobadela), Queijos Fraga, Queijos Matias, Casa Lagos, Interbeiras – Viagens e Turismo, Casa das Bandeiras, Hotel Alicante e Museu do Pão. To all these entities, institutional and commercial, the FICSE organization expresses its gratitude, extensive to all (competitors, teachers, family members, jurors and friends) who visit us, hoping that they will find, in the variety of the artistic, cultural, touristic and social aspects of the program that awaits them, plenty of reasons for one day to return to these Lands of Sena and the rich region of Serra da Estrela! Nuno Figueira Director of the Festival |
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Seia welcomes, for the third consecutive year, the International Song Festival of Serra da Estrela, an event that consecrates the talent of children and young people, affirming this county and Serra da Estrela in the context of festivals that proliferate throughout Europe. The high number of participants, especially foreigners but also from the county, the quality and artistic creativity associated with them, leads us to prospect an even more enthusiastic and motivating edition. For them, while the main actors of the festival, our votes so that it will be a gathering of enriching experiences, of conviviality between different languages and cultures, in a competition that is expected to be profitable and healthy. |
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AAlong with the competition, this is also a unique opportunity to visit
the county and the region: the landscapes of rare beauty, where mountain,
river beaches, activities associated with nature observation, walking routes,
mountain biking and Mountain Villages play a relevant role, as well the local
products (Serra da Estrela cheese, cottage cheese, bread, pone, “Black Cake”
of Loriga, Wine, Olive Oil, Sausages and Kid), along with cultural equipment
(CISE - Interpretation Centre of Serra da Estrela, The Toy Museum, The Natural
Electricity Museum, The Bread Museum, etc.). Alt these are the main
factors of attractiveness. A special thanks to the organization and to all the partners who join us this year. I call on the citizens of this county to be present in the Gala-Concert, which is held on the last day of the Festival: they can be absolutely sure that nobody will regret it. The Mayor of Seia
Filipe Camelo |
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