António Cândido Franco was one of the commissioners, together with João Freire, of the exhibition A Ideia – 50 Anos [A Ideia — 50 Years], dedicated to the historic Portuguese anarchist magazine, which opened on 10 October at the National Library of Portugal.

The commissioners are closely linked to the magazine’s history: João Freire, sociologist and retired Full Professor at Iscte-IUL, was its creator; António Cândido Franco, philologist and retired Associate Professor at the University of Évora, is its current director. The first issue of A Ideia, a ‘specific Portuguese-speaking anarchist organ’, was launched in Paris in April 1974, in the wake of the ‘spirit of May “68”, but quickly arrived in Portugal. As early as July 1974, it was the origin of a ‘great international anarchist rally’, which filled the Voz do Operário, and later continued to be published from Lisbon. António Cândido Franco took over in 2013, giving it ‘a very new dynamic’ as a ‘magazine of libertarian culture’, with special prominence given to ‘surrealist themes and authors, both in the writing and in the images’.

The exhibition has been organised into three thematic areas: Today and early times; Cultural expansion; and Well accompanied by others. Visitors can see copies of all the editions of the magazine, photographs of people and activities of the publishing group, books, posters and copies of other libertarian publications, such as the newspaper A Batalha, and similar publications from other countries. Alongside the exhibition, other complementary activities will take place, such as the debate Legacies of May 68, film screenings, and the launch of the latest issue of A Ideia. The exhibition will be open until 14 December.