May 5 every year is celebrated as the UNESCO World Portuguese Language Day; a day which also simultaneously celebrates the culture of the Lusophone Countries assembled in the CPLP (Community of Portuguese – Speaking Countries). The day highlights the global presence, cultural richness, and unifying power of the Portuguese language.
Originally sedimented and developed in western Europe, more than one thousand years ago, the Portuguese Language is today the native language to almost 300 million people in nine countries across four continents, and to lusophone diasporas living in almost all the corners of the world. One of the most globally diffused languages in the modern world, the Portuguese is the most spoken universal language in the southern hemisphere.
This World Day also celebrates the diverse and rich cultures of the nine countries that form the CPLP, including, in Africa, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, São Tomé e Principe and Equatorial Guinea, in Asia, East Timor, in America, Brazil and in Europe, Portugal.
The theme for this year, “The Promotion and Dissemination of the Portuguese Language and Cultural Diversity of CPLP Member States: From Traditional Experiences to Digital Platforms,” reflects the growing relevance of Portuguese in the digital age. It also highlights the need to leverage technological tools, including artificial intelligence and digital media, to preserve, teach, and promote the language across generations and borders.
Portuguese is not only a means of communication but also a symbol of identity, memory, and shared heritage. As a pluricentric language, it reflects the diversity of its speakers and the richness of their individual experiences and national cultures.
The Diplomatic Insight is a digital and print magazine focusing on diplomacy, defense, and development publishing since 2009.
