Let me begin by recalling the time when António Pinto Barbedo de Magalhães and I worked together in late colonial Timor-Leste in the field of education. It was a most creative labour, in which António had a decisive role. He would work tirelessly with us, the Timorese. Fortunately, at that time, women were already taking an active part as well. Our common effort is mirrored in a publication under the aegis of the Coordinating Group for the Reform of Education in Timor.[1]

As a citizen of Timor-Leste, I must say that the most substantial part of that labour was carried out by António. Once the work was completed at the ground level, authorization was granted for him to travel to Lisboa in order to contact professors and pedagogical experts so that the implementation of our plan might get under way.

I was – proudly – a member of the team. Personal and political reasons, however, made me move away from the team into other pressing commitments.

Unfortunately, the events of August 1975 prevented the continuation of the team’s work in Timor-Leste; that is, the implementation of all the innovative ideas the group had harboured – and the group owed them, in those sombre and painful days, mostly to António’s dynamic personality.

I will now reveal something that probably is less well-known. Without a degree in Psychology, I still observe that António responded to terrible depression due to the worsening of the situation in Timor-Leste by adopting an intensive working schedule. In addition, he started “carpentering” his own furniture – and that’s how he managed to overcome his depression. He had a highly successful academic career which bears the fundamental imprint António leaves wherever he goes: António the university professor, António the scientist, António the innovator and discoverer in his fields. All this he embarked upon as a Christian, which formed the grounds for his condition of an eminent Humanist.

António’s relation with Timor-Leste was never lost. As he learned that the conditions on the ground were worsening in 1975 and that a great number of atrocities and suffering were being imposed on Timor-Leste’s people, he took a bold initiative that left a deep legacy both at the University of Porto and well beyond: organising the Jornadas por Timor-Leste (Workshop for Timor-Leste). There again António shared his scientist persona with that of an activist, a Christian and a humanist.

It is virtually impossible to summarize here the amount of work that was produced under António’s guidance, which is mostly recorded. There are thousands, tens of thousands of pieces of evidence that we can now examine and study. A group of friends has converged to assist in its organization, and it is now available at the University of Porto. Its catalogue runs 673 pages.

We are all very fortunate to have known António, despite his frail condition. António the man, António the activist, António the Christian. António the humanist. António the scientist and emeritus professor of the University of Porto. António the fighter for Timor-Leste and its cause. He offered scientific labour a moral dimension, and in his defence of Timor-Leste he sought to ground his struggle on sound evidence rather than vulgar propaganda. For us, the citizens of Timor-Leste and all those who share our plight, António is a major example of engaged citizenship.

I wish to present – on my own and also on behalf of my wife, as we have both known António for such a long time – my gratitude to António and his family. I visited often their home and therefore am a witness to his whole family’s engagement with the cause of Timor-Leste. For António and his family, from Dili I send a big hug. We will always count on you, dear António.

From the very bottom of my heart: Viva António Pinto Barbedo de Magalhães! Viva the international solidarity with Timor-Leste.

Addendum:

António Barbedo de Magalhães (1943-2025) passed away as this book was about to be published. Professor Emeritus of the University of Porto and longtime activist on behalf of Timor-Leste and its people, he left us a major collection of  documents relating to Timor-Leste’s struggle for self-determination, now available through the library of Porto’s Faculty of Engineering. He was awarded the Grã-Cruz of the Ordem do Infante D. Henrique (2000) and, in 2012, the Ordem de Timor-Leste, both honouring his hugely influential contribution to the causes of Freedom and Friendship among all peoples. May he rest in peace next to his God.

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