The Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) on Tuesday, 20 October, named the Mini Theatre at the School of Communication and Arts (ECA) after Manuela Soeiro, in tribute to one of the great figures of Mozambican theatre. The venue will henceforth be known as the Manuela Soeiro Mini Theatre. The initiative recognises the contribution of the actress and director to the establishment and development of the performing arts in the country.

The tribute constitutes institutional recognition of Manuela Soeiro’s artistic career and her contribution to the establishment, appreciation and development of theatre in Mozambique. Her career represents a landmark in the history of the country’s performing arts, given the role she played in promoting theatrical creation and the appreciation of Mozambican culture.

The initiative has particular significance for the training of new generations of artists, students and researchers. From now on, Manuela Soeiro’s name will be associated with an academic space dedicated to learning, experimentation, creation and reflection on theatre and its role in society.

In the presence of several prominent figures from the country’s arts and culture sectors, the UEM Rector, the Secretary of State for Arts and Culture, and the honouree unveiled the plaque commemorating the name of one of the greatest figures in Mozambican theatre.

Following the unveiling of the plaque, the play Os Meninos de Ninguém, written by Manuela Soeiro, was performed by the Mutumbela Gogo theatre company. The work portrays the lives of street children in the city of Maputo in the 1980s.

In her speech, the Secretary of State for Arts and Culture, Matilde Muocha, praised Eduardo Mondlane University’s initiative to recognise one of the greatest figures in Mozambican arts by naming the Mini Theatre at the School of Communication and Arts after her. The government official considered that the gesture went beyond academic protocol, constituting an expression of nobility and humility.

According to Muocha, by taking this decision, UEM is not merely honouring and paying tribute to Manuela Soeiro, but also establishing a living legacy by creating a space where present and future generations of artists can train and draw inspiration from the example of those who came before them.

“It is an affirmation that our cultural references do not live only in books, but in the spaces we inhabit, the institutions we attend and the names we choose to mark them,” she stressed.

Photo: UEM

The government official added that UEM, as the country’s largest and oldest university, has a unique responsibility to lead by example in building a truly Mozambican academic and cultural identity.

“Today, this ceremony proves that this responsibility is in good hands,” she concluded.

For his part, UEM Rector Professor Manuel Guilherme Júnior explained that naming the Mini Theatre after Manuela Soeiro represented more than a tribute: it was a commitment to ensuring that her legacy would not be forgotten and to training young people capable of thinking, creating and questioning, just as the honouree had always done.

“The space now has a name, but, more than that, it has a soul, the soul of Mamã-Teatro. May every rehearsal, every play and every round of applause experienced here carry a little of Mamã Manuela’s courage and sensitivity,” he said.

The Rector recalled that, on 1 May 1976, President Samora Moisés Machel gave the institution the name Eduardo Mondlane University, setting out guidance that remains a fundamental principle of its mission: “The university is the one that goes to the people.”

According to Manuel Guilherme Júnior, this guidance remains relevant, since a university committed to society must also recognise, value and investigate the knowledge, experiences and heritage produced by its people.

The Rector also revealed that many UEM lecturers, particularly those associated with the undergraduate degree in Theatre, had learned from the honouree.

“The undergraduate degree in Theatre that exists today owes much to her persistence and contribution. Her collection, at the Sabura Museum, continues to fuel our students’ curiosity, research and critical thinking,” he said.

In a brief and moving speech, Manuela Soeiro recalled the many years of her career and thanked Eduardo Mondlane University for the recognition. The honouree nevertheless emphasised that her achievements had also been made possible by the support of various people and institutions that believed in her vision and project.

The event brought together figures from Mozambican theatre and culture, colleagues and family members of the honouree, notably Manuela Soeiro’s daughter and brother.

Photo: UEM

Photo: UEM