João Pinho Neves of the Camões Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua in Portugal met with J.J. McMurtry, interim dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) at York University, on May 1 to celebrate and renew the institute’s long-standing commitment to funding Portuguese language teaching at York.
J.J. McMurtry, interim dean, LA&PS, and João Pinho Neves, member of the Camões Institute Executive Board of Directors
Since 1993, the Camões Institute has upheld a protocol to invest in Portuguese programming in the Department of Languages, Literatures & Linguistics. Portuguese language instruction continues to be a strong program and a priority for York University, and Portuguese and Luso-Brazilian Studies at York is one of only two degrees of its kind in Canada. A generous gift of 60,000 euros over two years from the Camões Institute will ensure this programming continues to thrive.
In addition to strong Portuguese language programming, York is proud of research initiatives led by postdoctoral Fellow Gilberto Fernandes. These include the Portuguese Canadian History Project and the related Toronto City Builders project, which was recognized with a 2018 Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award. These leading projects document the experiences of Portuguese immigrants to Canada and make their stories accessible to researchers and the public in print and online formats.
Back row, from left: Tom McLagan, director of development, LA&PS; Gilberto Fernandes, PhD, postdoctoral Fellow, Portuguese Canadian History Project; José Pedro Ferreira, coordenador de Ensino Português - Canadá Camões, IP Consulado de Portugal; Inês Cardoso, PhD, sessional assistant professor, Docente do Camões, Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua; Maria João Dodman, PhD, associate professor, Portuguese & Luso-Brazilian Studies; Muneeb Syed, senior advancement officer, LA&PS. Front row, from left: J.J. McMurtry, interim dean, LA&PS, and João Pinho Neves, member of the Camões Institute Executive Board of Directors
“Thanks to partnerships like this with the Camões Institute and others in the Portuguese-Canadian community, our students have opportunities to learn about the Portuguese language and culture here at York and beyond, promoting an understanding and appreciation of Lusophone cultures worldwide," said McMurtry.