Born in Póvoa da Isenta, Santarém, José Miguel Correia Noras completed his PhD in History with the maximum classification of "Approved with Distinction and Praise" in 20th March 2012 at the University of Lisbon, he also has a degree in Business Management in 2007 from the Polytechnic Institute of Santarém - School of Management and Technology. He is a researcher at the Centre for History of the University of Lisbon. He has written 10 book chapters and 9 books. He has received 11 awards and/or honors. In his professional activities, he has interacted with 10 collaborators in co-authoring scientific papers. In his Ciência Vitae CV, the most frequent terms used to contextualize his scientific, technological and artistic-cultural output are: cultural heritage - Portugal; heritage conservation - Portugal; local administration; Alexandre Herculano National Architecture Prize; Santarém; José Saramago; historical towns; Almeida; emergency money; chronicles; Douro; Lamego; world heritage; politics; history; economics; numismatics; medieval weight systems. He is a full member of the Economists Guild, the APE – Association od Portuguese Writers, the Lisbon’s Geographical Academy and the Phaleristics Academy of Portugal. He has been an Honorary Member of the Brazilian Heraldry Society since 30th July, 2004. He was elected Honorary Scholar of the Portuguese Academy of History on 11th July, 2012. He chairs the Board of Trustees of the Portuguese Association of Municipalities with a Historical Centres, is a member of the Lusíada Centre for Technological Studies in Architecture and a collaborator of the José Saramago Foundation. He is also Coordinator of the "Mais Saramago" Group and Vice-Chairman of the Jury for the "Alexandre Herculano" National Architecture Prize. By unanimous decision of that municipality, he was chosen as Coordinator of the Pedrógão Grande Historical, Anthropological and Archaeological Research and Publication Commission. On 20th December 2023, he was elected the Chair of the Board of Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Santarém (a charity institution). He has served as Mayor of Santarém (1992-2002), President of the Santarém Municipal Assembly (2002-2005) and President of the Santarém District Assembly (1994-1999). At national level, he was President of the Movement of Municipalities for Peace, Environment and Cooperation (1993-2002), a member of the General Council of UNESCO's National Commission (1993-1994 and 1999-2004), President of the Portuguese Association of Municipalities with a Historical Centre (1994-2002), a member of Parliament (8th and 9th Legislatures), member of the Consultative Commission of the Portuguese Movement for Cooperation and Solidarity with Africa - MPCA (1997-2002), member of the IPPAR Consultative Council (1997-2004) and President of the Inter-county Assembly of the Association of Portuguese Winemaking Municipalities (2007-2009). As a columnist, he wrote for the newspapers A Capital, O Século, PortugalHOJE, O Mirante, O Ribatejo, Correio do Ribatejo and LAMEGOhoje, currently DOUROhoje, also he was the founder and director of O Mazorro, the first periodical in the Póvoa da Isenta parish. His numismatic studies were cited by Professor Dr Mário Gomes Marques in “História da Moeda Medieval Portuguesa”. He has works published in the following anthologies: José Saramago, 90 anos 90 palavras, José Saramago 90 años 90 palabras, Abril - 40 Anos, Santarém - Rumo e itinerário histórico - 150 anos de cidade and O Livro dos Viajantes Portugueses - passagem para Ouro Preto. As highlighted by Professor Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, in his Sunday TVI program, on 10th April, 2011, “Vozes do Ventre da Lua” was the last work for which José Saramago wrote a foreword. The Nobel Prize winner's text, featured herein, was written on 9th February 2010 under the titled "Um homem renascentista”.