Last Thursday, September 27, AEIST organised a debate on the cultural activities of the Student Movement at Técnico. It was very easy to understand the importance of culture to deal with the dictatorship, to open minds, to learn and to fight for a better world.

The two musicians Manuel Freire and Francisco Fanhais experienced very closely the Student Movement and, through their songs, they shared with the audience those troubled times. Before each performance the musicians shared their stories, which allowed the audience to better understand their poems.

Jorge Simões and Carlos Lopes participated in a debate moderated by Carlos Braga, who highlighted that AEIST was “one of the most dynamic centres of cutural activity in Lisbon”. “The activities were a source of pleasure and knowledge, an affirmation of freedom against the dictatorship and the repression imposed by society”, stressed the moderator. AEIST was “a space of freedom and creativity” that resulted in periodical publications, protest songs, ongoing debates. “AEIST’s publications provided information and launched new ideas”, highlighted Carlos Braga. “The newspaper located at AEIST’s entrance wall was probably Lisbon’s freest place to share information, because anyone could write or post anything”, said Carlos Braga.

The AEIST theatre group was a space for artistic, cultural, political and human training. According to Carlos Lopes “we were aware that we were a minority, but we knew that our cultural activity could bring a positive change in society. We wanted to change the society and to make a difference”. “We had a restlessness journey and our cultural activities worked as an element of intervention, mobilisation and change”, he said.

Jorge Simões, former radio announcer of AEIST radio station, was “fully aware of the importance of AEIST radio station” and highlighted that “it was a small spiritual and cultural revolution. For the first time academia became aware of the reality”.