Handwritten letters from the children of Portugal to the children of the USA
As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, a unique and deeply human initiative is unfolding from Portugal. Hundreds of children have taken pen and paper to write directly to children in the United States.
Their words are simple, honest and real. Messages of curiosity, friendship, hope and connection. In a complex world, this project begins with something pure: children reaching out to one another.
Each message is intentional. Each letter is handwritten.
In a digital world, these children chose to slow down, to think, to feel, and to express themselves in their own words. There are no filters. No scripts. No intermediaries. Just children, writing to children.
What emerges is something rare and powerful: a form of human connection that is honest, unfiltered and deeply meaningful.
These letters will travel across the Atlantic aboard the Portuguese Navy’s iconic tall ship, Sagres. With the support of her Captain and crew, this journey transforms these young voices into a shared experience between nations—from classrooms in Portugal to classrooms in the United States.
Upon arrival, the letters will be personally received and delivered to a school in Boston, where they will be read, shared and felt, child to child. Their handwritten replies will then be returned to Portugal, also by sea, onboard the Sagres.
Entrepreneur. Solo sailor. Father.
Ricardo Diniz has built his life around challenge, exploration and human connection—from solo ocean crossings to working with audiences around the world as an inspirational speaker and executive coach.
But at the heart of this mission is something deeply personal: a belief in the power of young people, and in the importance of giving them a voice.
Written by children.
Carried by the sea.
