On 22nd May, the City Hall of Leiria paid tribute to Professor José Mattoso, on the occasion of the City of Leiria Day. The ceremony coincided with the reopening to the public of the castle, after a two year rehabilitation intervention of this important national monument. On the occasion, Municipal President Gonçalo Lopes announced the launch of the José Mattoso Forum – Culture and Local Development, “dedicated to the sharing of good practices, reflecting on the challenges and solutions for public cultural policies”, which is to be held biannually.
Born in Leiria, José Mattoso paid his thanks for the honour and expressed his satisfaction for the renewed opportunity to access the castle for the local and national community. João Bonifácio Serra, Senior Professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Saul António Gomes, from the University of Coimbra, and Bernardo Vasconcelos e Sousa spoke about the restoration work.