Portuguese American Journal

Portuguese American Journal

Featured Stories
100 years ago | Devastating earthquake shook Faial Island Sports | Fernando Pimenta world canoeing champion Community | 20th Anniversary of Portas da Cidade Celebration Community | The Holy Ghost Festival of New England returns Community | Judge Luis Matos nominated to Rhode Island Supreme Court
 

100 years ago | Devastating earthquake shook Faial Island – Azores

One hundred years ago today, on the morning of August 31, 1926, the island of Faial was violently shaken by one of the most destructive earthquakes in the modern history of the Azores.  A century later, the Museu da Horta is commemorating the disaster with historical photographs, educational activities and an earthquake-preparedness exercise involving about […]

Sports | Fernando Pimenta world canoeing champion – Poznan, Poland

Portuguese canoeing star Fernando Pimenta was crowned world champion in the K1 1000 meters, winning a dramatic final at the Canoe Sprint World Championships in Poznan, Poland, on August 29, 2026.  The achievement adds another historic chapter to the career of the athlete from Ponte de Lima, widely regarded as Portugal’s greatest canoeist. Pimenta currently […]

Community | 20th Anniversary of Portas da Cidade Celebration – Fall River, MA

Mayor Paul Coogan, in conjunction with the Portas da Cidade Advisory Committee and the Prince Henry Society, will host a special ceremony commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Portas da Cidade (City Gates), one of Fall River’s most recognizable symbols of its Azorean heritage.  The celebration will take place Monday, August 31, at 10:30 am […]

Community | The Holy Ghost Festival of New England returns – Fall River, MA

The Holy Ghost Festival of New England will be held in Kennedy Park in Fall River, Massachusetts, from August 26–30. Former Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is expected to visit Fall River as a guest of honor for the 40th-anniversary festival celebration, according to reports. The President of the Regional Government of the Azores, […]

Community | Judge Luis Matos nominated to Rhode Island Supreme Court – Providence, RI

Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee has nominated Superior Court Associate Justice Luis M. Matos, a Portuguese-born jurist with extensive state and federal experience, to serve on the Rhode Island Supreme Court.  Governor McKee said his responsibility was to select someone with “unquestionable qualifications, an impeccable reputation and a strong record in strong and fair judging.” […]

January 15: Moderate earthquake magnitude 4.9 rattled Alentejo – Southern Portugal

15 January 2018

An earthquake magnitude 4.9 Richter scale was reported at 11.51am, local time, on Monday morning, in the Alentejo southern region of Portugal. The event felt across the country caused no injuries or destruction, the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IMPA) has confirmed. The earthquake happened in the District of Evora (population 173,700). The […]

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Posted in Azores, Featured, Heritage, Portugal, World

Travel: Portugal holds one of the most powerful passports in the world – Henley & Partners

13 January 2018

A Portuguese passport holder owns one of the best passports in the world, according the 2018 Passport Index released by Henley & Partners, a prestigious international consulting firm. In 2018, Portugal moved from sixth (2017) to the fifth place in the Henley & Partners passport index. The ranking evaluates passports according to the number of […]

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

Portugal: Unhealthy food ban at all public health services providers – New Year’s resolution

02 January 2018

The Portuguese government is banning all unhealthy foods and drinks from all public health services providers, following the publication of an administrative order published in ‘Diário da República’ the official journal. Thus, health centers and hospitals, as well as any institution of the Ministry of Health, will be prohibited from having vending machines for foods […]

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

Portugal: Thousands leaving the country each year – few returning

28 December 2017

Portugal has acknowledged a persistent negative emigration trend resulting in a migratory deficit – with more young qualified Portuguese leaving the country than returning – and that the country is not attracting those who have left in recent years. According to Secretary of State for the Communities, José Luís Carneiro, in spite of the positive […]

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

Portugal: European Parliament honors President Mário Soares – Strasbourg, France

13 December 2017

The former President of Portugal, Mário Soares, was memorialized today by the European Parliament, naming one of its main assembly rooms, in Brussels, after the late Portuguese President. In a statement, the European Parliament announced that the decision to honor President Soares was taken during a plenary session in Strasbourg, France, to recognize “his relevant […]

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Posted in Awards, Featured, Heritage, Organizations, People, Politics, Portugal, World

Portugal: Voted “Best Destination of the World” by the World Travel Awards – Phu Quoc,Vietnam

11 December 2017

Portugal was voted “Best Destination of the World” at the 24th edition of The World Travel Awards – known as the “Tourism Oscars” – becoming the first European country to win this distinction. Collecting six of the highest awards, Portugal defeated competitors such as Brazil, Greece, Maldives, USA, Morocco, Vietnam and Spain.  Lisbon won “World’s […]

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Posted in Awards, Featured, Heritage, Madeira, Organizations, People, Portugal, Travel, World