President Droupadi Murmu was conferred with the prestigious ‘ਸ਼ਹਿਰ Key of Honour’ by the Mayor of Lisbon during a special ceremony held at the Lisbon ਸ਼ਹਿਰ Hall on Monday night. The honour was bestowed as a mark of respect for ਭਾਰਤ’s growing global stature and the deep-rooted historical and cultural ties between ਭਾਰਤ and Portugal.
Expressing gratitude for the warm gesture, President Murmu lauded Lisbon’s global outlook, technological advancement, and its tradition of inclusivity and respect for diversity. She emphasized that Lisbon’s progress in digital transformation, innovation, and public infrastructure presents significant opportunities for bilateral cooperation between the two nations.
Later in the evening, President Murmu attended a banquet hosted in her honour by Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa at Palacio da Ajuda. Speaking at the banquet, she highlighted the centuries-old cultural bond between ਭਾਰਤ and Portugal, reflected in shared architecture, language, and culinary heritage.
“This year marks 50 years of ਭਾਰਤ-Portugal diplomatic relations. With our natural synergy and shared vision for innovation and growth, we are witnessing the evolution of a dynamic and future-ready partnership,” she said.
President Murmu underlined ਭਾਰਤ’s emergence as a knowledge-based economy, leveraging strengths in science and technology, ICT, digital public infrastructure, and start-ups. She reaffirmed ਭਾਰਤ’s commitment to work closely with Portugal in these sectors.
Appreciating Portugal’s consistent support in strengthening ਭਾਰਤ’s engagement with the European Union, President Murmu recalled significant milestones such as the first ਭਾਰਤ-EU Summit in 2000 and the historic ਭਾਰਤ-EU+27 Leaders Summit in 2021, both of which occurred during Portugal’s EU presidencies.
Concluding her remarks, President Murmu expressed confidence that ਭਾਰਤ-Portugal relations will deepen further in the years ahead, contributing not just to the growth of both nations, but also to broader global peace, development, and prosperity.
