World Portuguese Language Day, celebrated annually on May 5, is a global initiative to promote the Portuguese language, its cultural diversity, and the shared heritage of Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) countries.
History:
i.The origins of this observance date back to 2005, when the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), an intergovernmental organization founded to promote cooperation among nations with Portuguese as an official language, began marking 5th May as a day dedicated to the Portuguese language and Lusophone culture.
ii.The first formal celebration took place in 2006 at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) Headquarters in Paris, France, marking a step toward international recognition.
iii.On 20th July 2009, the CPLP Council of Ministers officially established 5th May as the Day of the Portuguese Language and Culture, highlighting the importance of linguistic and cultural unity across its member states.
iv.A major milestone came in 2019, when the 40th session of UNESCO’s General Conference proclaimed 5th May as World Portuguese Language Day, extending its recognition on a global scale.
v.The first official celebration under UNESCO’s designation took place on 5th May 2020.
About Portuguese:
Portuguese is a Romance language that evolved from Vulgar Latin, introduced to the Iberian Peninsula by Roman settlers and soldiers around 218 Before the Common Era(BCE).
- Specifically, it developed in the western region of the peninsula.
Official status:
i.Portuguese is the official language of nine countries across four continents: Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and PrÃncipe, and Timor-Leste.
ii.In addition, Portuguese also holds official status in the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China, reflecting its historical and global significance.
iii.Portuguese is among the ten official languages of UNESCO’s General Conference, alongside Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Russian, and Spanish.
Key points:
i.As of March 2024, Portuguese ranks as the 8th most spoken language in the world, with approximately over 265 million people.
ii.Beyond Portugal, the language has significant global reach, serving as the official language in several countries across South America, Africa, and Asia, further amplifying its cultural and linguistic influence on the international stage.
About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO):
Director-General(DG) – Audrey Azoulay
Headquarters – Paris, France
Established – 1945
