The music group which accompanied the celebrations. Dra. Isabel de Mendonça Raimundo, Consul General of Portugal in Goa 4th from left
On the 10th of June 2023, on the occasion of the Day of Portugal and the Portuguese Communities, the Consul General, Dr. Isabel de Mendonça Raimundo invited the Goan community to a reception that took place at Hotel Cidade de Goa in Dona Paula and where high-profile individuals were also present.
A bit of June 10th history
The day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese Communities is celebrated annually on June 10, the date of the poet Luís de Camões’ death in 1580. This day pays homage to Portugal, the Portuguese, the Portuguese-speaking culture and the Portuguese presence throughout the world.
Engº Marwin da Silva and wife Maryann da Silva (left), Secretary General of the Lusophone Society of Goa, representing Prof. Aurobindo Xavier, President of the Society, absent abroad, greeting the Consulate representatives
The first reference to the festive character of the 10th of June is in the year 1880 by a royal decree of D Luís I that declares “Day of National Celebration and Grand Gala” to commemorate, only in that year, the 300 years of the hypothetical date of Luís de Camões’ death. On August 29, 1919, through Decree 17 171, June 10 was consecrated as a national holiday. Later the day began to be a municipal holiday in Lisbon, dedicated to Camões. Then it was elevated to a national holiday, as «Day of Camões , Portugal and the Portuguese Race» by the Estado Novo, the regime established in Portugal in 1933 under the direction of António de Oliveira Salazar. With the 25th of April, this day became known as Day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese Communities.
Portugal, Camões and Portuguese Communities Day is celebrated all over the world. This year, in Portugal, the festivities of the day took place in Peso da Régua, in the context of the designation of the Douro River, World Heritage, as European Capital of Wine and were attended by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
