The University of Madeira is a space where values such as tolerance, empathy and equity are instilled.
The University of Madeira does not see itself only as an institution that provides students with theoretical knowledge and technical skills. It transforms students into competent professionals and global citizens, instilling values such as tolerance, empathy and equity. We believe that through education and culture, we can create new ways of living in society, This will help us respond effectively to the environmental, cultural and human challenges we face, guided by these basic principles.
We share UNESCO's vision and values, reflected in its international conventions, including the 2003, convention that guides national policies on safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.
Our mission extends beyond top-level education. We also believe it is our role to contribute to the development of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, in line with our core values. To achieve this goal, we focus on diverse strategies, including projects that promote intercultural dialogue, involve various sectors of civil society, and foster the inclusion of the diaspora around common objectives. We aim to help Madeirans find their place in a dynamic, globalized world.
In parallel, we conduct scientific research to find solutions that help us achieve our purpose, in a fair, sustainable and ethical way, always prioritizing interdisciplinarity. It is in the light of this model of intervention, of a markedly humanist nature, that all the initiatives we carry out to promote the traditions and heritage of our region must be seen.
Our intention to submit to UNESCO a request for the inscription of Madeira Wine Traditions on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage aligns with all of the above.
We decided to take on this project, because we believe that this living heritage is "glocal" and cross-cultural, more than any other. It is, in fact, the legacy that best represents us as a community, faithfully reflecting the way we conceive of ourselves. Like our collective identity, Madeira Wine is deeply rooted in the "poios" where the vineyard grows. But, at the same time, we like to tell those who visit us that it is a wine made at sea. What is certain is that it has been shipped to distant places for more than 250 years. This makes it cosmopolitan as our culture as a whole, resulting from a long process of hybridization that began at the time of the first settlers.
Due to the fact that it is known all over the world, the manifestation of the PCI under analysis is a powerful vector of intercultural dialogue. The sharing of this heritage with other peoples favors the integration of our diaspora in these countries, where there are large communities of Madeirans. We believe that its recognition, as a manifestation of the intangible cultural heritage of Humanity, can contribute to strengthening the ties between those who live in the region, our emigrants and the other communities with which they interact in their respective host countries.
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