Web Summit, the Irish-founded technology conference that has brought some 70,000 people to Lisbon this week, has cancelled its events organised to take place on Wednesday as Portugal is placed under a “state of alert” in advance of extreme weather conditions.
The company confirmed the decision shortly after 7.30pm Tuesday evening, following hours of speculation prompted by the mayor of Lisbon saying “everything indicates that Web Summit will not be able to function tomorrow”.
An hour beforehand, the prime minister of Portugal Luís Montenegro said in a press conference his office had “already issued our recommendation that the event’s activities be suspended for tomorrow”.
Montenegro said this was “for various reasons”, including “the fact that many participants are foreigners who do not have the same familiarity with emergency procedures that citizens residing in our territory naturally have”.
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“The decision rests with them,” Montenegro said. “In any case, I believe that with common sense, a sense of consideration and responsibility, no one will unnecessarily expose citizens, whether national or foreign, to situations of greater risk.”
An email to Web Summit ticket holders sent at 7.38pm by the company read: “Web Summit will of course respect the Government’s direction, and accordingly, Day 2 will not take place.”
“The safety and security of our attendees, staff and contractors is always our absolute priority,” it continued, adding it “aims to proceed with Day 3 as planned, following the passing of Storm Charles.”
“We will continue to work closely with the relevant authorities and emergency services, monitor conditions and provide further updates as soon as confirmed information becomes available.”
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All of Portugal has been placed under an amber warning for rainfall, with the southern half of the country, including Lisbon, under a red warning for wind, issued by the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere, the country’s weather authority, on Tuesday.
While the country experiences two storms, Bruna and Charles, at once with two days of overlap, the meteorological agency has forecast “periods of heavy rain and strong winds” that could “reach 120km/h and exceed 150km/h”.
Schools across the country are to be closed for the day, as the national government will place its citizens on the Iberian mainland under a 24-hour “state of alert” that mandates the suspension of outdoor events and restrictions on movement.
Web Summit organisers have had to cancel a slew of high-profile guests arranged to speak on Wednesday – among them: former president of Ireland and founding member of The Elders, Mary Robinson.
An anti-Web Summit protest, organised to take place on Wednesday evening by a grand coalition of Lisbon housing activists, has also been cancelled.
The technology conference, which was founded by businessman Paddy Cosgrave, has attracted controversy in Lisbon, with its opening ceremony having coincided with the end of a housing rights encampment protest on one of the capital’s most prominent plazas.
Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas had ordered the 200 or so protesters to move from Rossio Square to make room for a Christmas market. The dispute made its way through the judicial system; however, demonstrators called off the action Monday night, saying they must “enlarge the movement” and “go elsewhere”.
