Portuguese Heritage Month - Vancouver, CANADA.

[Mario Ferreira]

Official Website: www.portuguesemonth.com

PRESS RELEASE

Portuguese Heritage Month is a festival celebration of anything and everything relating to the Portuguese-speaking world. From arts & culture events including film, literature, theatre, dance, music and visual art exhibits to sporting events, conferences and picnics, radio and television specials, night-club events to parades... join the community at large celebrating a world of wonder.

The Portuguese Benevolent Society encourages you all to join for the annual PORTUGUESE HERITAGE MONTH. The first event happened in 2005.

The proclamation by the City of Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan states that "Vancouver's citizens of Portuguese descent are to be congratulated for their many contributions to our City's way of life". The provincial Attorney General proclamation states that "British Columbians of Portuguese heritage have been a part of the province since the 1800s, according to historical archives, and have contributed through an entrepreneurial and community spirit to the social, economic and cultural life of the province." The Minister of Canadian Heritage added that "I commend the efforts of the Portuguese Benevolent Society of Vancouver, who are building new bridges of understanding among people of all backgrounds."

Portuguese speakers worldwide are estimated well over 210 million. Portuguese language is the 6th most spoken in the planet, 3rd on the internet. Eight countries have Portuguese as the official language: Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guine-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal (including the autonomous regions of Azores and Madeira Islands), S.Tome & Principe and Timor; as well, due to historic ties, various regions of the world including Macau (China) and Goa/Damao (India) celebrate their Portuguese influences. The Portuguese language crosses all continents and its emigrants and descendents can be found in the Greater Vancouver area. An estimated 40,000+ B.C. residents hail from a Portuguese region or are descendents of the Portuguese. Now, it has come the time to celebrate our diversity through a full month celebration of the Portuguese World and its cultures in British Columbia.

The goal of this province-wide celebration, open to all, is to promote the existence of such a unique and diverse community to the Canadian society at large. The Portuguese Benevolent Society is creating the official program that will be distributed wide promoting all events that:

- Celebrate Portuguese culture (traditional or contemporary); Portuguese people and descendents, their work and talents; or, anything relating to the Portuguese-speaking world.

- Events can be in any language and do not need to be planned by a Portuguese individual, group or association; all are welcome.

- Event must happen between June 1st 2007 and June 30th 2007.

- The event may be as small as a group gathering in a cafe and as large as the English Bay fireworks.

- Activities must be legal under their cities or towns of jurisdiction - The events range from Arts & Culture to Sporting Activities, Picnics, Dances and more.

To register your event please call 604.684.5876 or email phm@lusitania.ca the eariler we receive the information, the better.

PLEASE NOTE: in order to guarantee your event listing in the printed
program we must receive all of WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, COST/HOW before May 5th, 2007.

The official website is http://www.portuguesemonth.com

[Andy Velebil]

Mario,

Great to have you back in posting form....keep them coming 8)