The 16th edition of the Cartoon Xira, dedicated to some of Portugual’s best cartoonists, has opened in Vila Franca de Xira near Lisbon. <br /><br /> 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. <br /><br /> Artists present were invited to add their signature in the name of freedom of expression. <br /><br /> 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.<br /><br /> 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:<br /><br /> “The crisis! We have our own national crisis, the European crisis, the American crisis, the
