Lusophony as Heritage: Identity Relations and Language Use

The path taken by the Portuguese language in the four continents in which it is present defined a route full of virtuous purposes. Lusophony as a heritage or the heritage of Lusophony (with the Portuguese language as its centre and direction) must rather be the result of intersections and dialogues that oscillate between perenniality, ephemerality and existence. According to the United Nations, in the last 50 years, the Portuguese-speaking population has more than doubled. The topics listed in this text establish the CPLP as a privileged space as a driver and catalyst for the Portuguese language around the planet. If in science it is a language that was born in the Atlantic, being perhaps the sixth most used language in the area of ​​natural and exact sciences and the fifth in the area of ​​social sciences, the Portuguese language and Lusophone diversity are today a giant space for international scientific co-operation in for sustainable development and the growth of Lusophony. In this context, CPLP—Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries—ensures that the most spoken language in the Southern Hemisphere is adequately represented within the scope of UNESCO. Spoken on four continents by more than 300 million people and characterised by diversity and welcoming, the Portuguese language is today one of the official languages ​​of the UNESCO General Conference, present in all sectors of the organisation. In this text, we will present examples that consolidate the idea that the Portuguese language has established itself as an important vector for uniting people, as well as a powerful soft power in the world of heritage preservation on an international level.