The Lusophone world is celebrating today the International Day of the Portuguese Language and Culture. The celebrations, which were first held in May 5, 2013, will take place in about five dozen countries.

The initiative was launched by the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) during the 14th CPLP Council of Ministers meeting, in Cape Verde, in June of 2009, when it was agreed to dedicate May 5th to celebrating the common linguistic and cultural ties which unite the eight countries that belong to the CPLP.

Created in 1996, CPLP represents the community of nations where Portuguese if the official language, an estimated 280 million people, including Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe and East Timor.

Portuguese is the third most widely spoken European language, after English and Spanish, with some 240 million users worldwide. More people around the world speak Portuguese as their native language than French, German, Italian or Japanese.

Portuguese is now recognized as a working language by European Union, the Mercosul, the African Union, the Organization of Ibero-American States, and the Organization of American States, among other world organizations.

paj.staff

About the Portuguese Language >>Wikipedia>>