Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second person to set foot on the Moon, visited the island of Madeira in 1994. Aldrin was one of the speakers at a highly attended conference in Funchal.
Aldrin, who was part of the Apollo 11 mission in 1969 with Neil Armstrong, shared his experiences of the historic lunar landing. He also recalled piloting the Apollo 8, the first mission to orbit the Moon.
He described the Moon landing as "one giant leap for mankind" and the 20th century's greatest achievement. Aldrin reflected on how seeing Earth from space fostered a sense of responsibility towards the planet and expressed optimism about reaching Mars, calling it "the spirit that makes us a unique species." The then-President of the Regional Government, Alberto João Jardim, attended and questioned Aldrin about the possibility of life on Mars.
