At the first face-to-face meeting of the Asia and Oceania Regional Council of the Council of Portuguese Communities (CCP), held in Dili on March 20 and 21, councillors from East Timor, Australia and China identified common challenges and outlined strategies to enhance the Portuguese language, boost associations and support the Portuguese abroad.

Macau was discussed during the meeting as an example of promoting the Portuguese language in a multicultural context. According to Rui Marcelo, president of the CCP's Asia and Oceania Regional Council, cooperation between Macau and East Timor in student exchanges should be strengthened. "Both territories have Portuguese schools, which reinforces the historical and educational connection between the two areas," he said.

Rui Marcelo also pointed out that Portuguese is not only promoted in schools, but also in the media, as is the case in Macau. "This helps to make the language more present in the daily lives of the population," he added.

(Source: Diligente, on April 7)