SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: An estimated 300 million people across the globe will speak the Portuguese language by 2030, predicted experts of the Lusophone language, culture and literature.
A round-table conference on ties between India and Community of Portuguese Language Peoples (CPLP) was held at a starred hotel in Panjim on Sunday, as part of the ongoing International Lusophone Festival.
The conference was held in two sessions. The first session was on the topic “India Outreach to the Global South: Exploring Convergences with the CPLP”, where in Puneet R Kundal, Joint Secretary (E&SA), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India; Sevala Naik Mude, Joint Secretary (C&WA), MEA; Jose Marie Ridao Domingues, Ambassador of Spain to India; Chinmoy Naik, Deputy Director General (Culture), ICCR; Luiz Felipe Czarnobai, Deputy Consul, Consulate General of Brazil in Mumbai; Cristiano Dos Santos, Minister Counsellor, Mozambique; Anabella Corujeira, Minister Counsellor, Angola; Dr Sanjay K Deewan, Honorary Consul - Cabo Verde participated.
The participants spoke about diplomatic, political and cultural ties between India and CPLP countries. Also Col DPK Pillay from Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence spoke on arrival of Portuguese to India and its role in shaping modern India and strategic analysis.
The second session was on India - Lusophone Historical and Cultural Linkages: Retrospect and Prospects - wherein Sandeep Chakravorty, Joint Secretary (EW), MEA; Prof Hugo Cardoso, Portuguese Visiting Faculty, Camoes Joaquim Heliodoro da Cunha Rivara Chair at Goa University spoke on ‘Where is Portuguese language: A bird's eye view’ while, Delfim Da Silva, Director of Fundacao Oriente - delegation in India spoke on ‘Does Goa have the potential to become a hub of excellence in teaching and learning Portuguese in Asia?’.
Dr Aurobindo Dias, President, Lusophone Society of Goa spoke on ‘India and the Lusophone countries: Geopolitical Perspectives; Marcelle Feigol Guil, Assistant Professor, Brazilian Portuguese Language, Literature and Social Studies and Shenoi Goenbab School of Language and Literature, Goa University spoke on ‘Inhabitant of an Ocean: Where lies our common Lusophone heritage.’
The session was more specific about languages, culture and literature and potential in terms of Portuguese language. This session was moderated by Prof Anuradha Wagle, French and Francophone Studies Programme, Shenoi Goembab School of Languages and Literature, Goa University, while, Prof Aparajita Gangopadhyay, Dean, School of International and Area Studies, Goa University was the nodal person.
