The Portugal University Sports Federation - FADU Portugal celebrated its 35th anniversary with a special event held in the city of Barcelos.

The celebration brought together prominent figures from national and international university sports, academic leaders, and institutional representatives on a day marked by reflection on the future of the sector and recognition of the federation’s journey, existing from 02.03.1990.

The Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave (IPCA) hosted the opening session, which was attended by the president of FADU Portugal, Ricardo Nora, the councilor of the Barcelos City Council, Carlos Eduardo dos Reis, President of IPCA, Maria Jose Fernandes, President of the IPCA Academic Association, Joao Salazar, and the Secretary of State for Sports, Pedro Dias.

The event continued with two conferences addressing key topics for the future of university sports. The first, titled "Innovation and the Future of University Sports," featured the participation of Pedro Dias, Secretary of State for Sports, Leonz Eder, President of FISU, and Adam Roczek, President of EUSA.

In the afternoon, the conference "Impact of Megatrends on Sports and the Role of Higher Education" brought together experts such as Paulo Jorge Ferreira, President of CRUP, Carolina Vila-Cha, Director of the School of Sports at IPCA, and Victor Pardal, National Coordinator of UAARE.

In addition to discussion panels, the event featured the presentation of the book Sports Management in Higher Education Institutions: A Project to Build, authored by Fernando Parente, Deputy Secretary-General of FISU.

The highlight of the celebrations took place in the evening with the 35th Anniversary Commemorative Dinner of FADU Portugal, held at Quinta da Pia in Barcelos. The event, moderated by journalist Diana Bouca-Nova, brought together leaders, athletes, institutional partners, and guests in an atmosphere of celebration, tributes, and reflection on the federation's journey.

The evening began with a welcoming moment, introducing the 35th-anniversary theme: "A Look at the Past, Present, and Future." This was followed by the first part of a commemorative documentary, dedicated to the foundation and first decade of FADU (1990-1999), preceding the presentation of souvenirs to the academic associations and founding entities of the federation.

The president of FADU Portugal, Ricardo Nora, then took the floor for an opening speech, highlighting the federation's evolution over the years and introducing the head of mission for the Portuguese Delegation at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 World University Games, Olympic athlete Patrícia Mamona.

The dinner continued with three more segments of the commemorative documentary, covering the decades of 2000-2010 and 2011-2019, interspersed with tributes and awards. A key highlight was the recognition of the role of the international organizations EUSA and FISU in the growth of FADU, with the presence of their respective presidents, Adam Roczek and Leonz Eder, who participated in a brief on-stage interview.

After the main course, the evening featured a musical performance and the presentation of the Honoris Causa award to Pedro Dias, a pivotal figure in the history of FADU Portugal. The tribute was preceded by a video featuring testimonials from former presidents of the federation on the honoree’s impact on university sports. The final part of the documentary was shown during dessert, focusing on the period from 2020 to the present and the challenges ahead for FADU.

The dinner concluded with the traditional singing of happy birthday to FADU Portugal and the cutting of the commemorative cake. For this symbolic moment, former presidents of the federation joined the current president, Ricardo Nora, on stage.

This was followed by the presentation of souvenirs to former leaders, acknowledging their contributions to the consolidation and growth of FADU Portugal. As the celebrations drew to a close, a fireworks display lit up the night, marking the 35th anniversary of the federation in a memorable way.

For more information, please see https://www.fadu.pt/ 

*photos courtesy of FADU