Silas Cerqueira

Silas Cerqueira was a Portuguese university professor who staunchly advocated for peace, solidarity, and nuclear disarmament for over 50 years. While studying in the United States, Silas became a vocal opponent of racial discrimination and the Korean War. Upon returning to Portugal, Silas devoted himself to the Portuguese peace movement and worked to oppose the fascist regime repressing the people. He was notably arrested for placing flowers on a war statue in the name of peace.

From that point forward, Cerqueira focused on creating solidarity among international neighbors, taking on issues of oppression across Africa, particularly apartheid, as well as helping to form an organization supporting Palestinian rights. Shortly before his passing in 2016, Cerqueira’s work was honored by the Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation, an organization of which Silas was a long-sitting board member.