On Saturday, June 13, the F/SOS Association officially inaugurated the Centro de Experimentação da Fotografia (CEF), a new cultural space dedicated to photography, education, heritage and contemporary creation in Foz do Arelho.

Located within the Casa Museu Jaime Umbelino, the CEF becomes the physical headquarters of F/SOS – Photography, Solidarity and Social Works and the central hub of the F/262 – International Photography Festival, creating a permanent space for exhibitions, workshops, research projects, artist talks, community initiatives and photographic experimentation throughout the year.

The opening marked an important new chapter for both the association and the local community. Housed in a building generously donated by writer, linguist and educator Jaime Umbelino to the people of Foz do Arelho, the space continues his vision of culture and education as tools for community development.

To commemorate this milestone, the inauguration was accompanied by the planting of a Sacred Olive Tree and the attribution of the distinction Guardian of the Sacred Olive Tree to F/SOS, the Parish Council of Foz do Arelho and Casa Museu Jaime Umbelino.

The initiative is part of the project The Sacred Olive Tree – House of Memory and Creative Centre, developed by the UNESCO Club of Louriçal do Campo and connected to the Portuguese Network of UNESCO Associations and Clubs. The project promotes memory, cultural heritage, peace, sustainability and intergenerational dialogue through the symbolic and historical significance of the olive tree.

The newly planted tree now stands beside the museum and the CEF as a living symbol of continuity, resilience and community, connecting Foz do Arelho to a wider network of cultural and educational initiatives inspired by UNESCO values.

The inauguration also welcomed visitors to the CEF’s first exhibitions, including Permanent Light, presented as part of the international celebrations of the 200th Anniversary of Photography, and the multimedia installation accompanying Jagozes – Between the Sea and Permanence by photographer Nuno Rocha.

More than the opening of a new venue, the creation of the CEF represents a long-term commitment to culture, education, photography and community engagement, establishing a permanent home for visual culture in the region and strengthening the foundations for future projects developed by F/SOS and the F/262 – International Photography Festival.

Photography preserves memory. Communities create it. The CEF now becomes a place where both can grow together.