International Lusophone Festival

International Lusophone Festival

Subject : Art and Culture

Context: The International Lusophone Festival kicked off on Saturday evening at the Raj Bhavan, in the presence of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, and MoS Culture and External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi.

Concept:

What is Lusophone world?

• The Lusophone world is spread in nine countries across four continents, and Portuguese is the most widely-spoken language in the Southern Hemisphere. With more than 265-million speakers worldwide, it was most widely spoken language in the Southern Hemisphere and  regarded as the language of the first globalisation in the modern era.
• Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking countries) economies are among the fastest-growing in the world, with Brazil, Angola, Portugal, Mozambique being some of them.
• Goa has had historical linkages with the Lusophone world, nurtured through the presence of Portuguese cultural institutions like the Orient Foundation and the Camoes Institute which promote the Portuguese language and culture in India.
• Portuguese is one of the official languages of the continental organizations: African Union, Organization of American States, European Union and of multiple regional organizations, as well as official language of UNESCO General Conference.

The International Lusophone Festival 

• The Ministry of External Affairs is organizing the festival in partnership with the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the Goa government.
• In a novel diplomatic step, a way to engage with a new geopolitical grouping of the Lusophone as India wants to leverage the untapped potential and the historical connect.
• Upon India’s initiative, this is the first such multi-country cultural event being held among these countries
• The Lusophone Food and Spirits Festival will also showcase the culinary links between India and the Lusophone world.

Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) or Lusophone Commonwealth:

• The Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) or Lusophone Commonwealth, was founded in 1996 in Lisbon, with Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal and Sao Tome and Principe as members; while Timor Leste and Equatorial Guinea joined later.
• These countries comprise approximately 300-million people across four continents (Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe).
• India joined CPLP as an associate observer only in July 2021

India’s Initiatives in CLCP:

• India’s trade with the Lusophone world has grown six-fold in the last decade.
• India already offers training to all CPLP member states, except Portugal, under the ITEC and IAFS frameworks. Providing technical expertise and capacity building assistance to CPLP countries will enhance people-to-people connect
• Indian assistance to CPLP, to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic through supplies of medicines, medical equipment, vaccines and other Covid-related support. India has offered ‘transfer of technology’ for manufacturing of its indigenously developed vaccine Covaxin in interested countries
• Round Table discussions themed on “India’s Outreach to the Global South – Exploring Convergence with CPLP” and “India-Lusophone Historical and Cultural Linkages: Retrospect and Prospects” explore not only India’s existing and historical Lusophone connect, but also deliberate on the way forward for future engagement