Portuguese American Journal

Portuguese American Journal

Featured Stories
Book | Roots Stirred | By Cristóvão de Aguiar | Editor’s Note Heritage | Portugal one of the most peaceful nations Day of Portugal | US Secretary of State Marco Rubio honors Portugal June 10th | Day of Portugal celebrations underway at home and across the diaspora Diplomacy | Portugal elected to the United Nations Security Council
 

Book | Roots Stirred | By Cristóvão de Aguiar | Editor’s Note

This richly woven, multi-voiced novel transports readers to a small village on São Miguel, the largest of Portugal’s Azores islands. Through the eyes of a young boy growing up in the 1940s and the stories shared by his beloved great-uncle, Tio Pascoal, the novel paints a vivid portrait of island life- its beauty, its hardships, […]

Heritage | Portugal one of the most peaceful nations – Global Peace Index

Portugal has once again been recognized as one of the safest and most peaceful nations on the planet, ranking 7th globally in the latest Global Peace Index (GPI), published by the Institute for Economics and Peace.  Portugal has consistently ranked among the world’s safest destinations for residents, visitors, and investors alike. The country previously reached […]

Day of Portugal | US Secretary of State Marco Rubio honors Portugal –  Washington, DC

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued an official statement on June 10, 2026, marking Portugal Day, officially known as “Dia de Portugal, de Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas” (Day of Portugal, Camões, and the Portuguese Communities). In his message, Secretary Rubio emphasized the historic friendship between the two countries, highlighting shared democratic values, economic […]

June 10th | Day of Portugal celebrations underway at home and across the diaspora – Terceira, Azores

On June 10, 2026, Portugal celebrates its National Day, officially known as Dia de Portugal, de Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas (Day of Portugal, Camões, and the Portuguese Communities). The annual observance honors Portugal’s history, culture, and the contributions of Portuguese communities around the world. The holiday also commemorates the legacy of Portugal’s sixteenth-century poet,  […]

Diplomacy | Portugal elected to the United Nations Security Council – New York, NY

Portugal was elected on Wednesday as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2027–2028 term, marking the fourth time the country has secured a seat on the UN’s principal body for maintaining international peace and security. Portugal previously served on the Council in 1979–1980, 1997–1998, and 2011–2012. “We were members of […]

Community: More resources for Portuguese language learning abroad – Portugal

03 August 2021

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Augusto Santos Silva, announced that the Portuguese language teaching abroad network [Ensino de Português no Estrangeiro (EPE)] will be provided with more teachers and more teaching materials in the next school year. The project will provide a “massive distribution” of computers and updated educational content to students and teachers, he […]

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Posted in Community, Education, Featured, Heritage, Organizations, People, Portugal, World

João Melo: From citizen of the world to Lusophone writer – Interview

01 August 2021

By Millicent Borges Accardi Writer João Melo was born in Luanda, Angola. His work has been translated into English, French, German, Arabic, and Chinese. A jack of all trades, he has had a wide variety of jobs including writer, press correspondent, journalist, communication consultant and professor. Besides Angola, he has lived in Rio de Janeiro […]

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Posted in Angola, Arts&Culture, Books, Brazil, Featured, Portugal, World

Book: ‘Selected Shorter Poems’ by Luís Vaz de Camões – Editor’s Note

30 July 2021

Luís Vaz de Camões (ca.1524/25-1580) is reckoned the greatest poet in the Portuguese language, granting him a position in the national literature akin to that of Dante, Shakespeare, or Goethe. He wrote a considerable amount of lyric poetry and at least three dramas but is best remembered for his epic poem Os Lusíadas (The Lusiads), which set […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Books, Featured, Heritage, People, Portugal, World

Wildfires: Severe climate predictions for Portugal – by Len Port

30 July 2021

The recent rural wildfire that encroached on the municipality of Portimão in the Algarve was yet another reminder that scientists consider Portugal to be one of the most vulnerable countries in Europe to climate change. The latest blaze came almost on the third anniversary of the inferno that destroyed so much across the Monchique hills […]

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Posted in Azores, Featured, Madeira, Portugal, World

Book: ‘The Lusiads’ by Luís Vaz de Camões – Editor’s Note

28 July 2021

Camões (ca.1524/25-1580) is the national poet of Portugal, with a status in the Lusophone world akin to that of Shakespeare, Dante, Cervantes and Goethe elsewhere. A wonderful lyric poet, and also an occasional dramatist, his masterpiece is Os Lusíadas (The Lusiads), an epic poem on the beginnings of the Portuguese maritime empire, for which the author himself […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Books, Featured, Heritage, People, Portugal, World

Community: The ‘Emigrant Soldier Memorial’ honors fallen heroes – Azores

26 July 2021

The President of the Regional Government of the Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, dedicated on Sunday the Emigrant Soldier Memorial [Memorial ao Soldado Emigrante], in Praça do Emigrante, Ribeira Grande, on São Miguel island. The Memorial, sponsored by the  Azores Emigrants Association (AEAzores), honors all Portuguese emigrant military who have fought, are fighting or died serving […]

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Posted in Azores, Community, Featured, Heritage, Organizations, People, São Miguel