Portuguese ‘a Testament to Power of Human Connection, Cultural Diversity’, Secretary-General Tells World Language Day Event
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the World Portuguese Language Day event, in New York today:
I am happy to join you today to celebrate the World Portuguese Language Day. I wish to thank the Permanent Representative of Brazil for inviting me here today.
Portuguese is a testament to the power of human connection and cultural diversity. Spoken by hundreds of millions of people — from Europe to South America, from Africa to Asia and Oceania — it is a unifying force, bridging cultures and communities and serving as a vehicle for the expression of diplomacy, art and literature.
I welcome the creation of the section of the United Nations Library dedicated to books in Portuguese. I thank Member States for their generous donation of more than a hundred books, which include great contributions made by Lusophone authors to world knowledge and culture. These works offer a window into the hearts and minds of the Portuguese-speaking world, inviting colleagues and readers to explore the rich diversity of our language, reflections and emotions.
Today, we also recognize the vital role of multilingualism at the United Nations. Multilingualism lies at the very heart of our mission, fostering global understanding and greater cooperation, and an ever more inclusive, equitable and effective Organization.
Today, Portuguese is a working language in some agencies. The great work carried out by the Portuguese language service of UN News, together with the social media team and the Lusophone UN Information Centres and Regional Offices, underline the growing demand for information in Portuguese and justifies our efforts to be closer to the people we serve.
In all these efforts, we count on the unwavering support of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. As Prime Minister of Portugal, I had the privilege to take part in the creation of this Community, almost 30 years ago.
Today, the values of dialogue and solidarity at the heart of that enterprise are more relevant than ever. I am happy to witness the engagement and vitality of the Community, and the growing interest of other countries to join forces — as shown by the growing number of associated observers, today represented by the Ambassador of Qatar.
This year’s focus on “Youth, Gender Equality, Digitalization and Sustainable Development” highlights the role of linguistic and cultural diversity in fostering opportunities, empowering young people and finding common solutions to global challenges. I know that we can count on you in our mission for peace, human rights and sustainable development for all.