The certification process for Filigrana de Portugal, a trademark registered at the National Institute of Industrial Property and owned by both municipalities, started with the adhesion of around 21 artisanal production units, with others interested in joining.

«Today, we are writing another important page in the history of our municipalities. Certifying an art that is part of our identity was a long-standing ambition of the municipality that is now being realized. It is also an act of justice for the artisans who have preserved this technique for many centuries, never giving up on asserting filigree as a distinctive element in traditional goldsmithing,» said the Mayor of Póvoa de Lanhoso in his speech.

Avelino Silva also pointed out the next challenge: an application for intangible cultural heritage status, for the preservation of an art with incalculable cultural value. «The filigree technique deserves this status of world heritage and, although I am aware of the difficulties and demands of this new process, we believe we should not give up on this goal,» he argued.

The public presentation took place at Pousada do Porto, Hotel Palácio do Freixo. During the ceremony, certificates were awarded to the production units of both territories and the first pieces were certified. «It is very clear the value we attribute to filigree and to the artisans of our municipality. The step we are taking here aims precisely to leverage a very important sector of the local economy, which has enormous potential, and which the municipality is determined to support,» stated Póvoa de Lanhoso's mayor Avelino Silva, for whom the certification of filigree represents «another step up in this path of economic appreciation of Póvoa de Lanhoso's traditional sectors».

The Mayor of Gondomar, Marco Martins, and the representative of Adere Certifica, Teresa Costa, also spoke at the session, highlighting the union of efforts and the certification of the product.