PORTUGUESE CONSUL GENERAL SAYS KNOWLEDGE OF PORTUGUESE VERY RELEVANT IN TODAY’S WORLD

PANJIM: The Consul General of Portugal in Goa, Dr António Sabido Costa on Sunday said that knowledge of foreign languages becomes most critical in context of diplomatic, economic and cultural exchange between different countries, in the globalised world, and under such circumstances, knowledge of Portuguese has become relevant in today’s world.

Addressing a group of students at the convocation ceremony of a Portuguese language course held at Panjim and Margao, from August to December 2010, the Consul General of Portugal in Goa said that Portuguese is one of the most spoken languages in the world, and furthermore, much widely spoken in the Southern hemisphere. "Altogether 8 countries around the globe have Portuguese as their official language, and Portuguese is the fourth most learned language in the world," he added, pointing out that Portuguese and Spanish are the two fast growing languages, with Portuguese language having potential for further growth.

The thirteenth Portuguese language course was organised by the Indo-Portuguese Friendship Society - Goa, in association with Fundação Cidade de Lisboa, Cooperação Portuguesa and Direcção Regional de Educação de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo (DRELVT).

The director of services of the Fundação Cidade de Lisboa, Dr Manuela Vieira de Almeida, the representative of Cooperação Portuguesa, Ms Lucília Mendes, the IPFS - Goa president, Mr Elinio Colaço, the founder member of the IPFS - Goa, Dr Jorge Fernandes and the teacher who conducted the course, Dr Conceição Pereira were present on the occasion.

Speaking further, Dr Costa said that it was heartening to see the children and adults, all attending Portuguese courses. Dr Almeida, speaking on the occasion said that Fundação Cidade de Lisboa not only supports Portuguese course in Goa, but takes the students of the course on a trip to Portugal, to introduce them to the Iberian country, besides sponsoring the toppers of the course to attend Portuguese language advance course in Lisbon. Ms Mendes stated that Cooperação Portuguesa helps conduct Portuguese language courses in various countries and such courses are important in building bridges between Portugal and other countries.

Mr Colaço stated that Fundação Cidade de Lisboa is the link between Goa and Portugal through language, while Dr Pereira said that she, during her four-month stay in Goa to conduct the course, felt at home and did not miss her country. Ms Sandra D’Sa won the Dr Nuno Krus Abecasis Gold Medal, while the second and the third prizes were won by Ms Merlin Menezes and Mr Vaman Vernekar, respectively.