Portugal celebrates national day

Portugal celebrated National Day, remembering the country’s national icon and poet, Luis de Camoes, in Seoul, on Monday.

Delivering remarks at the event, Portuguese Ambassador to Korea Susana Vaz Patto recalled Vasco da Gama’s exploration of the west coast of Africa and the discovery of a maritime route to India during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Those were the days of pioneers that paved the way for globalization, she said. "Everywhere around the globe, there are features of Portuguese," the ambassador said, highlighting the presence of Portuguese people and culture in North America, Europe, Africa and Latin America.

The Portuguese community in Korea is young, highly motivated and very qualified, Vaz Patto noted.

"We are celebrating National Day with the Portuguese community here today," Vaz Patto added, applauding the curiosity that Koreans and Portuguese people have about each other’s cultures.

"Tourism is also booming in both ways," she said, hoping for more fortified and mutually beneficial Portugal-Korea relations.