The City of Lisbon awarded the Medal of Honor to Cardinal José Tolentino Mendonça in a ceremony held on Thursday, 17 September 2026, at the Portuguese municipal palace, in front of political, academic and church representatives, including the Mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas.

The Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, recalling his arrival in Lisbon in 1975, focused his speech on the theme of integration, welcome and dialogue in a city marked by so much interculturality, stating that «It is necessary to open a dialogue, activate practices of recognition, and rescue many lives from anonymity or civil invisibility through effective integration policies. A city is not measured by the number of people it welcomes, but by the quality of the recognition it generates and the fraternity it fosters» — and in this, education represents a crucial tool for humanization.

Leggi anche: 

• Tolentino Mendonça recebe Medalha de Honra da Cidade de Lisboa | dnoticias.pt

• Medalha de Honra de Lisboa atribuída a José Tolentino de Mendonça | LISBOA Informação

• Tolentino Mendonça recebe Medalha de Honra da Cidade de Lisboa | JM Madeira

• Cardeal Tolentino Mendonça recebe Medalha de Honra de Lisboa: «Cidade desmente a solidão» | Diário do Distrito

• Lisboa: Cardeal Tolentino Mendonça defende «políticas efetivas» de acolhimento e integração | ECCLESIA