Upon arrival in Maputo late in the day to participate in the 50th anniversary celebrations of Mozambique’s independence proclaimed on June 25, 1975, the Portuguese President acknowledged the significance of the Mozambican community in Portugal.
“We have a very dear Mozambican community in Portugal, small, small compared to communities from (other) Portuguese-speaking countries. The Brazilian is huge, in hundreds of thousands, the Angolan close to 100,000, the Cape Verdean is traditionally many tens of thousands. The Mozambican, smaller, as others are. But we always view with great affection the contribution of those who speak Portuguese. As they lovingly see the contribution of Portugal and the Portuguese here,” said the Portuguese President.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also cited the example of the 50th anniversary celebration ceremonies of Cape Verde’s independence on July 5, noting the importance given by Luxembourg authorities, where a significant Cape Verdean community resides and works, something he suggested “the Portuguese should reflect on.”
“A Luxembourg delegation will appear, with the head of state, president of the parliament and the prime minister, to thank Cape Verde for the role of Cape Verdeans in the life of Luxembourg. Now, Luxembourg is not exactly an underdeveloped country, neither economically, socially, nor culturally,” pointed out the Portuguese head of state.
“And this is worth reflecting on. They think they should thank immigration. Many Portuguese believe it’s good to have relations between peoples who share the same language because they can make important contributions to each other,” added Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
Mozambique celebrates 50 years of independence on Wednesday, with the main ceremony in Maputo led by the President of the Republic, Daniel Chapo, attended by 32 heads of state, including Portugal’s Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
The central ceremonies will be held at the historic Machava Stadium in the Mozambican capital, where the country’s first president, Samora Machel, proclaimed independence in the early hours of June 25, 1975, after a struggle against the Portuguese colonial regime that began on September 25, 1964.
In addition to the official speech by the President of the Republic, the ceremony will include military parades, cultural moments, a message from citizens who turn 50 (the same period as independence), and an intervention from the leader of Podemos, as the largest opposition party.
At least 40,000 people are expected at Machava Stadium, which has an official capacity of 45,000, at an event also marked by the arrival of the unity flame after traveling across the country since April 7. The flame will be used at that moment by the head of state to light the stadium’s pyre.
