UNESCO World Portuguese Language Day celebrated

ISLAMABAD, May 6 (APP/DNA):The UNESCO World Portuguese Language Day and Culture of the Lusophone Countries is celebrated here on Monday by highlighting the global presence, cultural richness, and unifying power of the Portuguese language.

The language is spoken by almost 300 million people in nine countries across four continents. The day is celebrated every year on May 5, said a press release issued here on Tuesday.

This year’s celebration theme, “The Promotion and Dissemination of the Portuguese Language and Cultural Diversity of CPLP Member States: From Traditional Experiences to Digital Platforms,” highlights the growing relevance of Portuguese in the digital age. It emphasizes the need to leverage technological tools, including artificial intelligence and digital media, to preserve, teach, and promote the language across generations and borders.

With its origins in Western Europe over a thousand years ago, Portuguese has become a major language of international communication and the most spoken universal language in the Southern Hemisphere. The language is not only a means of communication but also a symbol of identity, memory, and shared heritage, reflecting the diversity of its speakers and the richness of their individual experiences and national cultures.

The nine countries that form the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) include Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Principe, and Equatorial Guinea in Africa; East Timor in Asia; Brazil in America; and Portugal in Europe. These countries come together to celebrate their diverse and rich cultures.

The observance of World Portuguese Language Day was established on July 20, 2009, by the CPLP, and the date of May 5 was chosen to coincide with the first meeting of the Ministers of Culture of the CPLP in 2005. In 2019, UNESCO’s General Conference proclaimed May 5 of each year as World Portuguese Language Day.