World Portuguese Language Day – May 5th – was proclaimed by UNESCO in 2019 at its 40th session of the General Conference. However, the date of May 5th had already been officially established in 2009 by the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) - an intergovernmental organization, an official partner of UNESCO since 2000, which brings together peoples who speak Portuguese as one of the foundations of their specific identity - to celebrate the Portuguese language and Lusophone cultures.

The Portuguese language is one of the most widespread languages in the world, with more than 265 million speakers spread across all continents, as well as the most spoken language in the southern hemisphere. Portuguese continues to be, today, one of the main languages of international communication and a language with a strong geographical extension, destined to increase.

The Days dedicated to the languages spoken throughout the world annually celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity and provide an opportunity to raise awareness among the international community of the history, culture and use of each of these languages. Multilingualism, a core value of the United Nations and an area of strategic importance for UNESCO, is an essential factor for harmonious communication between peoples, promoting unity in diversity, international understanding, tolerance and dialogue.