On the 10th of June, nearly 300 Portuguese residents in Mijas celebrated Portugal Day and the Day of Portuguese Communities, a festival that also marks the anniversary of the death of the illustrious poet Luís de Camões and pays tribute to Portuguese culture, language and all Portuguese citizens around the world.
To the tune of the Portuguese national anthem, a day of celebration began at the restaurant La Esquina Portuguesa (11 Calle San Benjamín, Las Lagunas), a bar which, two years after opening, has become a veritable gastronomic, social and cultural haven for the Portuguese community in Mijas, as well as for locals keen to discover the traditional cuisine of the neighbouring country. Its menu features “cod as the main dish, but we also have seafood and various types of Portuguese dishes from north to south”, explained Ana Bella Martins, the establishment’s owner. The gastronomic showcase was accompanied by music, with a special focus on fado, one of Portugal’s most representative genres. Among those in attendance was Antonio Luis Guimaraes, who expressed his excitement about the celebration: “Today I feel absolutely delighted and happy because it is the first time we have celebrated the Portuguese national holiday in Mijas; today is a public holiday there”.
The event was also attended by members of the municipal government team, led by the mayoress of Mijas, Ana Mata (PP), who said that “we are very fortunate because, thanks to those people who come from other countries, we are much richer culturally, and we must thank them for the peaceful coexistence we enjoy in our municipality; here we don’t ask for any kind of passport to be able to enjoy this very special environment, with so much soul, so vast, with all the possibilities we have and offer.” For his part, the councillor for Foreigners, Mario Bravo (PP), highlighted that “we have just under 300 registered Portuguese residents of all ages. It is a people with whom we get on quite well. Portugal is getting closer every day. That is the message I believe we must take away: Portugal, getting closer every day”.
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