The Day of Portugal and the diaspora
The Day of Portugal, Camões and Portuguese Communities is always an excellent opportunity to reflect on the Portuguese presence in the world and what that means for communities and for the country. It is very important to continue to be seen in the limited and reductive perspective of emigration as suffering or of the emigrant with a cardboard suitcase. We are much more than a political, economic or sociological phenomenon. We are a people who transform the world and that is what we need to recognize and understand.
The structure and communities changed with the new descendants and the new migrants, Portuguese society was transformed and qualified, mobility and networked information is a reality and, although misunderstanding, ignorance and prejudice still persist, the The truth is that this rich and dense universe of humanity has a better history and is valued today than it was a decade ago.
A very important path was made for the recognition and recognition of the Portuguese communities, for which the contributors of the governments, of the deputies in the Republic, of the diplomats, of the associative movement, of the press of the communities of the advisers of the CCP were relevant, uniting more those who are in the country and who is out. Of particular note are the media, which have made an invaluable contribution to creating a more active, active and demanding body, while at the same time making known who they are and what many of the protagonists of social importance and have for Portugal and the countries do. host.
deputies, often in their organization, at the center of the debate, for the appreciation of communities, with the permanent confrontation, the country’s positions, always governments, for society to understand their need to be. considered as Portuguese everywhere, without concrete criteria, nor that imply greater attention to the definition of all the different concrete problems.
A turning point took place when, for the first time, in Paris, in 2016, the Day of Portugal was celebrated with Portuguese communities, with the presence of the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and individuals. This is a celebration to stay. There is no backtracking possible. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and António Costa started this practice. Future presidents and prime ministers will have to continue.
It is undeniable that today you better understand this extraordinary universe that are like Portuguese communities, conceived as a political, diplomatic, economic and cultural asset of the first magnitude, dispersed in all countries on all continents. Just look at the way France is rooted, Luxembourg, the United States, Brazil and Brazil and for them to understand in their community, how others can be protected, with the oldest functions and their descendants of great importance to enhance bilateral relations. .
But, of course, there is still a long way to go. But the greater this sense of community, which in no way should be synonymous with closing in on itself, on the contrary, the more Portugal emerges. In fact, it can be considered that, for Portugal and the Portuguese, there are no borders or geographies. The world is our home and, wherever we are, we are always very well considered and adjusted and we demonstrate great adaptability. We are interpreters of cultures, like Eduardo Lourenço or, as Eça de Queiroz said, a force for civilizational transformation.
And it is aestheticism, humanism and cosmosism, which exists in the present and in the Portuguese legacy over many generations of migrants, that we need to project all continents and continue to cultivate, living well with everyone around the world. We’ve always been like this. We will always be like this.
PS deputy