The tenth edition of the Semana da Cultura Indo-Portuguesa (Goa) was inaugurated at Hotel Mandovi with a session on ‘Portuguese Influence on Goan Culture’ on September 24, 2018. The event had in attendance Rohan Khaunte, Minister of Revenue and IT, Joao Pedro De Matos Fernandes, Minister for Environment of Portugal, Antônio Chrystello Tavares, Consul General of Portugal in Goa, Executive Committee members and a distinguished audience.
Noted journalist and author Alexandre Barbosa moderated the session on ‘Portuguese Influence on Goan Culture’ which had historians Prajal Sakharande and Maria Lourdes Bravo de Costa on the panel.
Joao Pedro De Matos Fernandes, Minister for Environment of Portugal, congratulated the committee saying, “So many miles away from home I was surprised to be greeted by the wonderful melody of a Portuguese fado when I entered. The celebrated Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa once said that his country was the Portuguese language. I’m delighted to hear the Portuguese language in use here in Goa.”
Rohan Khaunte said, “The Portuguese have left a rich heritage and legacy. Culture is closely linked to economics. Technology linked platforms are actively bringing these two closer together.”
Semana da Cultura Indo-Portuguesa (Goa) was established in 2008 at the initiative of the Portuguese Consulate in Goa and by various local organisations namely Clube Nacional, Fundação Oriente and Institute Camões, among others
