The FSOS, Fotografia, Solidariedade e Obras Sociais, has taken another important step in strengthening its relationship with the local community, recognising the Parish Councils of Nadadouro and Foz do Arelho, together with their Presidents, Filipe Pereira and Pedro Costa, as Honorary Members of the association.

This distinction reflects the spirit of FSOS, an association committed to bringing people, communities, culture and social responsibility closer together. It also celebrates the close relationship between Nadadouro and Foz do Arelho, two communities connected by geography, history and shared stories.

The recognition took place during a special gathering centred on memory and community, which also brought an important story back into the public space.

João Paulo Ventura Francisco, from Nadadouro, worked as a lifeguard in Foz do Arelho and, in 1987, carried out two extraordinary acts of courage, saving two surfers and later three people from the shipwreck of the Magdelei. Decades later, through the initiative of Filipe Pereira, the Gold Medal for Courage, Selflessness and Humanity and a replica of its diploma were delivered to the Parish Council of Foz do Arelho, represented by Pedro Costa.

The medal and diploma will now become part of the collections of the Casa-Museu Jaime Umbelino and Casa das Bateiras, preserving João Paulo’s story as part of the cultural and social memory of the territory.

The presentation of Jagozes

The gathering also provided an opportunity to present Jagozes, by Nuno Rocha, a photographic project that was first presented as an exhibition at the F/262 International Photography Festival.

The project now enters a new stage with the presentation of the second edition of the Jagozes book, featuring a new edit and curatorship by João Carlos, Festival Director of F/262. This new edition revisits the work and offers a different context for the project, allowing the photographs to be experienced beyond the exhibition space and preserved in a new form.

The evolution of Jagozes, from exhibition to a newly edited second edition of the book, reflects one of the roles of F/262: creating opportunities for photographic projects to develop, be revisited and find new ways of reaching audiences.

For FSOS, the presentation of Jagozes alongside the recognition of its new Honorary Members carries a particular significance. Both moments speak to the same broader idea: a community is strengthened when it values its people, preserves its stories and creates opportunities for culture to connect generations and places.

The appointment of the Parish Councils of Nadadouro and Foz do Arelho, together with their Presidents, as Honorary Members of FSOS marks the beginning of a closer relationship, one that we hope will lead to new collaborations, cultural initiatives and shared projects.

And Jagozes is a meaningful example of how a photographic project can continue to grow beyond its first presentation, taking on new forms and new contexts.

Memory, photography and community. These are some of the bridges we want to continue building.