We have his permission to share and publish it.
2011/10/27 Lodewijk <lodewijk(a)effeietsanders.org>
A wonderful message! Thanks a lot for sharing. Is it
also publicly
available? If we have more feedback like this, I hope we can share it
somewhere together.
Best regards,
Lodewijk
No dia Quarta-feira, 26 de Outubro de 2011,
GoEthe.wikigoethe.wiki(a)gmail.com escreveu:
Dear all,
> We have received an inspiring message from the winner of the Portuguese
> competition that we would like to share with you. Ha has authorized us to
> publish and share it. I took the liberty of translating it to English for
> your enjoyment. I think it would give a very nice blog post for the european
> site.
>
> João Martinho uploaded 500 pictures of 181 different monuments in
> Portugal, and won the prize for Best Picture. He has a second picture that
> will also compete for the European prize.
>
> His message is below.
>
> Best,
> Gonçalo
>
> *Dear members of Wikimedia Portugal,*
> * *
>
> *
> *
>
> *it was with great satisfaction that I received the news of my victory in
> the photo competition “Wiki Loves Portugal – Portugal” with the photo
> “Alameda de Pedra” captures at the Carmo Convent in Lisbon in September
> 2008.*
> * *
>
> *
> *
>
> *I no longer recall when the interest in photography of monuments and
> landscapes awoken in me; when I think about it I believe it was always in
> me, starting with my curiosity in registering pictures of places and moments
> in my memory that had in some way moved me, I was a child still without a
> camera of my own, but I own the most important equipment a photographer
> could have: the visual sensitivity about what surrounds him.*
> * *
>
> *
> *
>
> *With the years I started gaining enthusiasm and acquiring photographic
> equipment that allowed me to reproduce and crystalize in time that which I
> had observed in the journeys I have been doing through this world of ours. A
> trip for me is a photographic adventure. I do not travel without
> photographing!*
> * *
>
> *
> *
>
> *As an amateur photographer, I am passionate about photography. In the
> last few years I have taken advantage of the merits of the internet to
> subscribe and participate in international forums and groups for amateur
> photographers. Within these I would highlight “BetterPhoto” and “Photoblur”
> of which I have been a member and where some of my pictures have been
> awarded (I take the liberty to add my “BetterPhoto” gallery for your
> appraisment:
http://www.betterphoto.com/searchResults.asp?limit2=&szTerm=joao
>
martinho&schMod=Photos&page=1&rows=16<http://www.betterphoto…)Photos&page=1&rows=16>).
However until today no other national or international award has given me
> as much satisfaction as the one I have just received. The reason is my
> passion for the natural and monumental heritage of Portugal: My first and
> best motive for photographic inspiration. I have now crowned that fondness
> with this honourable distinction.*
> * *
>
> *
> *
>
> *Our country is one of the most fortunate in terms of places and
> monuments with photographic interest. Proving it is the quantity and
> participation level achieved during the competition. Regrettably throughout
> our country I have encountered too many examples of the poor condition much
> of our historic and architectural heritage. That situation is extremely
> heart-breaking for me however I have not up to this date found the right
> “weapons” to fight the degradation of the places and buildings once living
> and noble and those who time and human neglect are slowly turning into
> regrettable ruins. Two years ago, I made an appeal to IGESPAR to undertake a
> photographic survey throughout the country of monuments that require
> restoration and preservation but my appeal fell on deaf ears. Now this
> purpose is rekindled and I would like to take the opportunity of this award
> to consolidate my mission of contributing the best way I can (through
> photographic images) to alert the competent authorities to this true SOS
> from some of the national heritage. I am aware that much has been done and
> that we have some good examples of happy interventions, namely through the
> Pousadas de Portugal, but I have that much is still to be done and from
> today I will launch in my Facebook page a new appeal “SOS – Património
> Nacional” placing photos of buildings and monuments needing intervention and
> restauration.*
> * *
>
> *
> *
>
> *It is this way that I intend to be constructive and enterprising with
> the award I receive from you. Not as arrival point but as a starting point
> to go even beyond.*
> * *
>
> *I take the opportunity to send you my congratulations for the success of
> this initiative and applaud all the more than 250 contestants that with more
> than 16000 pictures took the opportunity to showcase the Portuguese
> monuments on the web through their respective photographs.*
> * *
>
> *
> *
>
> *With my best regards*
> * *
>
> *
> *
>
> *João Martinho*
>
>