900 words in Portuguese are influenced by Arabic, Ambassador of Portugal in Cairo

CAIRO – 10 March 2021: Ambassador of Portugal in Cairo Manuela Franco said that she is pleased to participate in the Supreme Council for Culture’s cultural relations initiative, which confirms the depth of Portuguese-Egyptian cultural relations.

She indicated the importance of deepening mutual relations, and bilateral cooperation between the two friendly countries in all fields, most importantly in the cultural field.

This came during the ninth evening of a series of evenings of the "Cultural Relations" initiative, taking place at the Supreme Council for Culture, during which the Egyptian-Portuguese relations were celebrated, in cooperation with the Foreign Cultural Relations Sector.

Ambassador Franco affirmed the depth of the bilateral relations, stressing that the Portuguese side appreciates the depth of the Portuguese-Egyptian relations, as they have strong and long historical ties that date back to the 18th century.

Franco also stated that Portugal's relations with Egypt have affected the language, as more than 900 words in the Portuguese language are taken from the Arabic language. This indicates the great influence different languages and cultures have on each other.

Also, Franco said that Portugal is the oldest country in Europe with defined borders, and that in the beginning there was a kind of competition with Egypt, with "Portugal on one side and the Ottoman Empire on the other side.”

However, Franco clarified that the diplomatic representation in Alexandria, Egypt began in 1888, the diplomatic relations began in 1942, and the appointment of the first ambassador of Portugal in Cairo took place in 1952. She noted that perhaps the only period that witnessed separation was the period of wars in the sixties and then relations returned again in 1974, stronger than ever, to implement further cooperation between Portugal and Egypt.