The first news about a distant and mysterious Orient reached Europe many centuries ago of which Marco Polo's writings are the most well known. The remote Oriental civilisations fascinated the Europeans, who tried to establish relations with them at different levels.

It was however thanks to Vasco da Gama's trip that Men of the Renaissance period could finally contact directly with the mythical civilisations of the Near and Far East. In this way, Persia, India, China and Japan, amongest other remote countries, became part of an unexpectedly accessible universe.

The centurial old relations between Portugal and many regions of the Orient, justifies the creation of an association whose goals are the study and promotion of oriental art and culture.

As a consequence, a group of scholars, collectors, dealers, curators and other interested people decided to give birth to the Association Amigos do Oriente, or Friends of the Orient. The organisation of international conferences, symposiums and seminars, visits to collections, the creation of a specialised library and the support of original research through grants are some of the actions that the Amigos do Oriente have set out to accomplish.

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Directors
President: Dr. Francisco Clode de Sousa
Vice-president: Prof. Doutora Rosa Varela Gomes
Secretaire: Dra. Alexandra Curvelo
Tresurer: Luísa Costa Pessoa
Vogal: Dr. Manuel Castilho


General Assembly
Com. Guilherme de Alpoim Calvão
Dr. Álvaro Sequeira Pinto
Mary Espírito Santo


Fiscal Consultants
Sr. Jorge Welsh
Dr. Nuno Vassallo e Silva
Dr. Jorge Mota

Sócios Honoríficos
Dr. Jorge Mota
Com. Guilherme de Alpoim Calvão
Dr. Renato de Albuquerque
Dra. Teresa Paramés
José Manuel do Amaral Coelho
Dr. Álvaro Sequeira Pinto
Robert Bachmann
Dr. Jorge Malheiro Araújo
Miguel Félix da Costa

Secretariat until
AAO — Associação Amigos do Oriente
Rua da Imprensa Nacional, nº 30. 1250-123 Lisboa
Tel: +351 21 347 24 28
email: amigosdooriente@mail.cismeios.pt
Tuesday, 9h00-13h00