Governance
of the Maison du Portugal - André de Gouveia

Tell us about your background and your arrival at the Cité internationale.

Being an alumna of the Cité internationale, I have a background in teaching and research that has always crossed over between Portugal and France, and I have also been influenced by other European, American and Asian territories, where I lived in order to deepen my studies and my research in comparative literature and musicology. During my training, I had the extraordinary opportunity of coming to live at the Cité, a unique campus that opened my eyes to the world.

What do you think it is that makes the Cité internationale a unique campus in the world?

The crossroad of residents from all countries on a unique campus where the values of peace, solidarity, sustainable development and the sharing of cultures are expressed daily. The Cité is made up of houses that welcome young people from around the world and allow them to meet one another and allow for intersections of projects opening horizons that trains people to live together within a green park in the heart of the city.

How does living in your house allow residents to have a different outlook on the world and how is it a spring board for their futures?

The Maison du Portugal – André de Gouveia permanently welcomes residents from about 40 different nationalities, becoming a space for intercultural Exchange. Simultaneously, it is a showcase for Portuguese-speaking cultures in Paris with a cultural reference programme and it has housed the Gulbenkian library since 2020 (https://gulbenkian.pt/paris/bibliotheque/), which has a collection of more than 55,000 works.

The Maison du Portugal also favours personal and academic interactions between residents and allows them to highlight proposed projects for the campus and within their academic and professional lives. To live here is also to be a part of a strong alumni community, a network that has flourished since 1967. 

If you had to sum up the Cité internationale in one word, what would it be and why?

Mixing.

The Cité internationale is an intersection for residents, cultures and visionary ideas that advance the world with the aim of sharing perspectives and common views such as those of intercomprehension, living together and creating a sustainable, equal and responsible future.