Portuguese Prime Minister highlights EPM’s role in global presence

The Macau Portuguese School (EPM) is a vital asset to which the Portuguese government attaches great importance, not only in teaching the Portuguese language and culture, according to Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro.

In a broader sense, it also contributes to the Portuguese presence beyond borders and Portugal’s global influence, Montenegro said after a visit to the institution.

Visiting Macau as part of his official tour to China and Japan, Montenegro stopped at the EPM yesterday morning to learn about the school and speak with its representatives about its future.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of his visit, Montenegro said he had the opportunity to interact with local government officials to advance joint work to strengthen relations between Macau and Portugal at many levels.

“We have had the opportunity to interact with the Chief Executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region and to plan joint work to strengthen our relations of friendship and cooperation at various levels, including economic, social, administrative, and cultural,” the Portuguese official said.

Regarding the EPM, Montenegro added, “Within this plan, the Macau Portuguese School is a very important asset to which we attach great strategic importance in the teaching of Portuguese, but also in the possibility of providing training and qualifications to hundreds of young people every year, enabling them to build their projects and reach a higher level in their academic careers, whether here in Macau, in the People’s Republic of China, in Portugal, or in Portuguese-speaking countries. The [Portuguese] government’s interest will always be to support the preservation of our identity, our culture, and our projection in the world.”

Noting the continuous Portuguese presence in Macau, the Montenegro remarked, “Our presence here in Macau is, moreover, illustrative and synonymous with our global vocation, our perspective of looking at the world and contributing to the development of all geographies, taking into account the value of people, the idea of progress, and development that promotes peace, social justice, and respect for people’s rights.”

Before this visit, the Portuguese Premier met with Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai and other high-ranking government officials.

The tour continued with a visit and reception organized by the Consulate-General of Portugal in Macau before Montenegro and his delegation traveled to Japan, with visits scheduled to Tokyo and Osaka.