In 2019, the 40th session of UNESCO's General Conference declared May 5th to be "World Portuguese Language Day," in recognition of the Portuguese language and Lusophone cultures. The Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP), an intergovernmental organization that includes countries where Portuguese is spoken, established this date in 2009, and has been in official partnership with UNESCO since 2000.
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With over 265 million speakers across the globe, the Portuguese language is among the most prevalent languages in the world. It is the most widely spoken language in the southern hemisphere, and it is an important worldwide communication language with a broad geographical reach. Furthermore, its impact is expected to grow in the future.
Galician is the source of the Portuguese language’s origins. This was the native tongue of the people who resided in the northern regions of Portugal and northwest Spain. Galician was a combination of regional dialects and standard Latin. The language evolved over time, and around the 14th century, Portuguese emerged as its descendant. People who speak Portuguese are referred to as Lusophones. The preponderance of Lusophones currently reside in Brazil.
