The 16th edition of the Cartoon Xira, dedicated to some of Portugual’s best cartoonists, has opened in Vila Franca de Xira near Lisbon.

The terrorist attack against the French satirical paper Charlie Hebdo earlier this year obviously holds centre ground this year with a special wall dedicated to the victims.

Artists present were invited to add their signature in the name of freedom of expression.

While similar events have been cancelled for security reasons in France, the mayor of Vila Franca de Xira, Alberto Mesquita, decided nevertheless to maintain the Mostra: “Obviously we are aware of what is happening in the world. But I think that taking a step back and not holding this exhibition would have been a tremendous loss,” he told euronews.

The first part of the Mostra is dedicated to the Best Cartoons of the Year. The Curator of the event, cartoonist António, sums up the year 2014:

“The crisis! We have our own national crisis, the European crisis, the American crisis, the