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Portuguese and luso-descendants,

From the city of Castelo Branco, in Portugal’s deep interior, I am addressing a message of greetings to the Portuguese in the Diaspora, to those who carry Portugal’s name all over the World.

The Diaspora Communities are a nuclei of World citizens, but also Portuguese embassies that, due to the value of the work and of the enterprising spirit of its members, honour the name of the Country and contribute fundamentally to its prestige abroad.

Portugal is going through a very difficult situation in these days. All of us are not enough to help our country, the country where our roots lay.

But there are reasons for hope. And one of them is, exactly, the vitality of the Portuguese Communities.

The Portuguese Fatherland has more than one third of its members abroad. Portugal is all over the World.

This is a capital that we must know how to marshal, in the conviction that the Country may count upon the support of its entire offspring to overcome the challenges it is facing.

I thus appeal to the Portuguese in the Diaspora, who on other occasions of History never failed in their help, to support their Country.

Please believe that this Fatherland, which belongs to us all, is a destination with great potential, where you can channel your investment, your talents, and your enterprising spirit.

Those who emigrated are, by nature, non-conformists. They aspired to change their lives, they did not resign.

It is this note of non-conformism and ambition that we must underline as an example.

The Diaspora Communities are a model of those who do not wait passively, who do not expect others to resolve their problems.

In order that your example brings fruit to the common benefit, it is fundamental to reinforce the bonds of Portugal with the Portuguese in foreign parts and with the Luso-descendants.

Throughout my mandate, I never resigned myself to a state of mutual remoteness and of reciprocal ignorance between Portugal and its external communities.

In this context, the Portuguese language and culture, as well as our traditions, must be cherished, since they are the traces of the identity that brings us together fraternally, a union that we must deepen and cultivate.

Several initiatives already exist that, either culturally or entrepreneurially, endeavour to keep alive the links of the Diaspora to Portugal.

Now, in such a difficult hour, we must, as we have never done before, strengthen these links.

Portugal needs you. Portugal has need of all the Portuguese. Of all of them, of each one of them, wherever they may be.

Even in the most distant parts of the globe, there are talented and skilled Portuguese who show an extraordinary capacity to adjust to their welcoming communities. Portugal needs their contribution.

As President of the Republic, aware of the enormous potential that is inherent to our network of Communities, I appeal to the Portuguese of the Diaspora.

This is the National Day of Portugal, your Fatherland. This is your Day. Let us all celebrate it with the best we have to yield.