A GRAND EVENING AT THE CITADEL OF CASCAIS: JETHRO INTERNATIONAL HONOURS NEW HUMANITARIAN CIVIL DIPLOMATS AND MARTIN LUTHER KING LAUREATES

A Grand Evening of Hounour and Service at the Citadel of Cascais

 

On 5 March 2026, the Cidadela de Cascais Fort became the setting for an evening of singular dignity, ceremony and international significance, as Civil Diplomat Jethro International Organisation held its solemn act of certification of new Humanitarian Civil Diplomats, and the conferral of the Martin Luther King Award.

 

Held within one of Portugal’s most emblematic historic landmarks, and in a setting associated with national memory, prestige and state tradition, the ceremony unfolded with the gravity befitting an institution devoted to Civil Humanitarian Diplomacy. It was an evening in which honour met purpose, and distinction was granted not merely as recognition, but as a call to service.

In her opening remarks, Master of Ceremonies Helena Fonseca welcomed the guests with composure and refinement, recalling the symbolic importance of the Citadel of Cascais and framing the evening as a moment of elevated relevance for Jethro International and for all those committed to humanitarian leadership.

The ceremony also paid tribute to the wider international mission of the organisation, which maintains an active presence across countries and mobilises leaders from many sectors of society to act with legitimacy, responsibility and global vision.

Civil Diplomat Jethro in a setting of distinction

The proceedings were further enriched by the opening words of David Silva, Expansion Director of Jethro International, and Colonel José Geraldo, National Director of Civil Diplomat Jethro Org. in Portugal.

Each, in his own way, lent substance and stature to the evening. David Silva brought a note of thoughtful human concern, reflecting a leadership attentive not only to institutional development, but also to the physical and spiritual well-being of the person.

 

Colonel José Geraldo, in turn, offered a presence of remarkable cultural depth and authority, uniting patriotic feeling, ceremonial dignity and a rare command of Portugal’s historic honours and symbols.

One of the most significant moments of the evening was the condecoration of the Humanitarian Civil Diplomats in a ceremony marked by solemnity, gratitude and institutional symbolism.

Humanitarian Civil Diplomats honoured at Cascais

The Humanitarian Civil Diplomats certified on this occasion were called forward to receive its credentials under the authority of Colonel José Geraldo and David Silva:

• Edgar Bernardo – ID 7377
• Erci Ferreira Silva Hemmingsen – ID 8841
• Ana Natally Souza Vieira– ID 4756
• Danilo Filipe de Sousa Soares Porfirov – ID 8931
• Fernanda Clemente Prado – ID 8840
• Marcela Costa Moura de Camargo – ID 8790
• Nathália Monsores – ID 8827
• Bruno Sena da Silva Santana – ID 8928
• Fábio Dionísio Pires dos Santos – ID 8781
• Susy Gonçalves Chicota – ID 8747
• Rozemario Cruz Bomfim – ID 8750
• Zinho Baptista Manuel – ID 8830
• Fellipe Augusto Souza Freitas Silva – ID 8808
• Marcelina Jaime Furtado – ID 8794
• Gracieta Carlota Jacinto Cumbana – ID 8849
• Ana Rita Rodrigues da Costa – ID 7867
• Vanessa Dalga Ojeda – ID 8946

The ceremony then proceeded with the participation of the respective Directors of Expansion, to confer credentials upon those entrusted to their care and representation.

Mário Jorge, Director of Expansion for Angola, conferred the credentials upon:

• Alfredo Stelvio Neto Cumbi – ID 8831
• Wilson de Souza Ganga  – ID 8832

 

Jorge Santos, Director of Expansion, conferred the credential upon:

• Maximiliano Alexandre Pratas – ID 8903.

Diego Fonseca, Director of Expansion for Jethro Travel, conferred the credentials upon:

• Lívia Fernandes Amaral – ID 8895
• Elias Santos Coutinho – ID 8927

Carolina Araújo, Director of Expansion, conferred the credential upon:

• Ana Paula Pina dos Santos Cardoso – ID 8788

Carlos Campelo, Director of Expansion for International Strategy, conferred the credentials upon:

• Marina Ávila Torreão Brito – ID 8804
• Sávio José de Meneses Cardoso – ID 8805

Sérgio Santos, Director of Expansion, conferred the credential upon:

• Alex Paul – ID 8938

Felipe Moura, Director of Expansion for Business Strategy, conferred the credential upon:

• Glauciano Correia de Araújo Filho – ID 8929

The evening also included the appointment of Andreia Alves dos Santos, who was formally named as the Expansion Director of Jethro International, a distinction that further strengthened the organisation’s institutional presence and strategic projection.

Martin Luther King laureates honoured with highest distinction

Another high point of the ceremony was the conferral of the Martin Luther King Award, the highest honour granted by Jethro International  in memory of one of the most enduring voices for justice, dignity and human equality. The tribute was presented as a recognition of leaders whose lives and actions give present form to the ideals of peace, equity and humanitarian commitment.

The first laureate was Alfredo Martins dos Santos Yarid, recognised for a path of service that moves between Europe and Brazil with discipline, public responsibility and humane resolve. As a Humanitarian Civil Diplomat, he has led projects and joined initiatives dedicated to vulnerable communities in Brazil. In Portugal, he stood among those who responded directly to the suffering caused in Leiria, delivering essential goods and comfort to affected populations. His vocation for service is also visible in his work as a voluntary firefighter, where readiness, courage and care become daily expressions of civic duty.

The second laureate was Felipe Leonardo Martins de Freitas Moura, honoured for uniting entrepreneurial leadership with sustained humanitarian action. An executive and business strategist with a global outlook, he has built a solid business group while consistently affirming that true leadership begins in service to others. For more than two years, he has maintained active and continuous involvement with children in vulnerable situations in Africa. In Portugal, he distinguished himself during the social response in Leiria, coordinating efforts that delivered more than two tonnes of water to affected communities. His work revealed not only efficiency and strategic capacity, but also empathy, constancy and nearness to human need.

 

 

In a particularly moving passage of the ceremony, it was noted that both Alfredo Yarid and Felipe Moura played a decisive role in supporting the recovery of the Leiria region after the recent storms that struck Portugal. Their ability to mobilise people, logistics and practical action stood as an example of local resilience strengthened by humanitarian leadership.

Citadel of Cascais marked by elegant leadership

Special mention must be given to Helena Fonseca, whose performance as Master of Ceremonies endowed the evening with rare polish and ceremonial intelligence. With distinction, elegance and notable prescience, she conducted each moment with measured cadence and elevated tone, ensuring that protocol, sentiment and institutional gravity were held in perfect balance throughout the proceedings.

Equally deserving of tribute is Colonel José Geraldo, National Director of Civil Diplomat Jethro in Portugal, whose presence conferred historical depth and cultural refinement upon the event. A poet of the Portuguese language and an exceptional connoisseur of Portugal’s historic facts and honours, he brought to the evening not only leadership, but also memory, symbolism and a noble understanding of what ceremonial dignity requires.

David Silva, Expansion Director of Jethro International, also deserves recognition for the serenity and substance of his contribution. His presence reflected a leadership marked by care for the human person in full, attentive to physical well-being, spiritual integrity and the broader responsibility of guiding lives towards meaning, balance and service.

A special and heartfelt word of appreciation must also be extended to the entire Jethro International team, whose dedication, determination and meticulous care made this distinguished evening possible. From the thoughtful selection of guests to the careful preparation of every ceremonial detail, and from the coordination behind the scenes to the impeccable delivery of the event itself, their work was marked by commitment, excellence and quiet devotion. Such occasions of grace and dignity are only ever achieved through the steadfast efforts of those who serve with discipline, generosity and genuine pride in the mission they uphold.

A grand evening looks towards the future

Before the close of the evening, guests were invited to take part in the 2nd World Meeting of Civil Diplomats, to be held in September 2026 aboard a cruise through the seas of Europe. Presented as a distinctive international gathering of humanitarian leaders, social entrepreneurs and institutional representatives, the event was announced as an experience joining high-level content, fellowship and global vision.

 

As the ceremony drew to its conclusion, the evening at the Citadel of Cascais remained marked by more than protocol. It stood as a testament to the enduring force of honour when joined to service, and to the role of Civil Diplomat Jethro Organisation in recognising, credentialing and elevating men and women prepared to act with responsibility in favour of the common good.