Bermuda Day Grand Marshal 2016 – A Tapestry of Cultures
Edmundo Vieira Faria was born in São Miguel, Açores in 1935. He moved to Bermuda in May 1959 and married Maria de Lurdes in 1967. They have three children and four grandchildren.
Mr. Faria has been an important figure within the Portuguese Community in Bermuda. He was an active committee member of Vasco da Gama and the Portuguese Association in the 1970s, ensuring that the Portuguese Culture was maintained and shared with the wider Bermudian community. In thanks, he has been named an Honorary Life Member of the Vasco Da Gama Club.
Mr. Faria was also an active member of the Portuguese Cultural Association and was instrumental in introducing the Portuguese Language School in Bermuda. He worked tirelessly within the school assisting with fundraising and special events. Also active in the St. Theresa’s Parish Community, he has served on the Portuguese Pastoral Council and the Santo Cristo Committee who collectively organize the religious festival yearly which features a large community gathering at the BAA grounds. He currently assists the Portuguese priest, Father Julio, with his ministry visiting and taking Holy Communion to the sick and elderly that are homebound.
In addition to his cultural work, Mr. Faria worked for the Corporation of Hamilton for 49 years in a variety of roles, most publicly known for coordinating the city’s Christmas decorations. Mr. Faria is well-known for his beautiful gardens and his spectacular Christmas decorations at home, both of which have won a variety of awards. He was also a long-time member of the Bermuda Bird Fanciers Association. We celebrate the important role he has played in preserving Portuguese-Bermudian culture.
