Diniz Borges

The Portuguese Diaspora as a Global Village

XLIX Conference on Education and Culture of the Luso-American Education Foundation (LAEF)

Organized by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI), California State University, Fresno
October 2–4, 2025 | Online via Zoom & Facebook Live

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84041620446
Facebook Pages: Luso-American Education Foundation, Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute, and 35 affiliated community groups
Archived at: Fresno State YouTube Channel

Theme: Global Village: Portugal’s Diaspora as a Fountain of Culture, Memory, Connectivity, and Innovation
Título: Aldeia Global: A Diáspora Portuguesa como Fonte de Cultura, Memória, Conectividade e Inovação

FRESNO, CA — The Luso-American Education Foundation (LAEF), in collaboration with the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) at California State University, Fresno, proudly announces the 49th Conference on Education and Culture, to be held October 2–4, 2025, in a fully online format via Zoom and Facebook Live.

This year’s theme, Global Village: Portugal’s Diaspora as a Fountain of Culture, Memory, Connectivity, and Innovation, will unite scholars, writers, educators, cultural leaders, and community voices to reflect on how the Portuguese diaspora serves both as a guardian of tradition and a catalyst for innovation.

Over three days of panels, conversations, and cultural segments, participants will explore the enduring ties between Portugal and its global communities, highlighting cultural preservation, artistic expression, generational connections, and a shared vision for the future.

Conference Program

Thursday, October 2, 2025

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84041620446

  • 10 AM – Opening Ceremonies (bilingual)
    Remarks by Consul-General of Portugal in San Francisco, Filipe Ramalheira; Fresno State Dean Honora Chapman; and LAEF President Maria Roliz. Special moments dedicated to FLAD’s 40th anniversary and poet Álamo Oliveira.
    Conferência Inaugural: Ecos através dos Oceanos: Memória Cultural na Diáspora with José Andrade (Director Regional das Comunidades, Açores).
  • Noon – Do século XVI ao XXI: Luís de Camões vivo e popular
    Maria do Céu Fraga Amaral, Universidade dos Açores.
  • 2 PM – Poetry, Stories, Saudade: Artistic Expressions of Diasporic Identity
    Featuring Carlo Matos, Lara Gularte, Sam Pereira, Amy Sayre Baptista, Millicent Borges Accardi, RoseAngelina Baptista, Brad Angeja, Irene Marques, and José Luis da Silva.
  • 4 PM – Entre Fusos Horários e Tradições: Memória e Horizonte da Diáspora Portuguesa na América do Norte
    With Paulina Arruda, Ilidia Pereira, Ricky Durães, Manuela Marujo, and Zeto Carvalho.
  • 6 PM – Sacred Flames, Shared Tables: Portuguese Festas as Bridges of Belonging
    Panelists include Tisha Cardoza, Manuel Silva, Elaine Almeida, Melissa Meneses, and Taylor Amarante.
  • 8 PM – Homenagem a Álamo Oliveira
    Special recorded session: 75 anos pela Junta de Freguesia do Raminho.

Friday, October 3, 2025

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84041620446

  • 10 AM – Ogygia: Equinoxes of the Written Word
    Avelina da Silveira, poet and co-coordinator.
  • Noon – Da Preservação à Inovação: A Cultura Açoriana como Ponte entre Comunidades nas Américas
    Sérgio Luíz Ferreira, Paulo Ricardo Caminha, and Ricardo Caminha (Santa Catarina, Brazil). Moderated by José Luís da Silva.
  • 2 PM – Bridges Across the Atlantic: Transnational Ties and Cross-Generational Dialogues
    With Conselheiros das Comunidades Portuguesas-USA/Canada: Paulo A. Pereira (Toronto), Paulo A. Pereira (Mineola, NY), Daniel Loureiro, Leslie Ribeiro Vicente, and Manuel Bettencourt (California).
  • 4 PM – Portuguese Women in the Diaspora: Writing between the Lines of Saudade and Identity
    Deolinda Adão, El Cerrito, CA.
  • 6 PM – Digital Saudade: Technology and the Preservation of Identity and Cultures
    Inês Eiras, Michel Pereira, and Marissa Silva-Rocha.
  • 8 PM – Homenagem a Álamo Oliveira
    De mãos dadas com a escrita – VITEC Azores TV.

Saturday, October 4, 2025

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84041620446

  • 8 AM – Bridges of Belonging: How Dual Citizenship Strengthens Diaspora Influence Across the Atlantic
    Jennifer Toy, PortugalStyle.com.
  • 10 AM – Women of the Portuguese Diaspora: Voices of Change and Continuity
    Angela Costa Simões, Linette Darosa, Monique Kelley-Valance, and Nadine Barroca.
  • Noon – Language, Legacy, and the Next Generation
    Renato Alvin (CSU Stanislaus), Clemente Fagundes (Mission Oak High School, Tulare), Sandra Lee Carapinha (Learn European Portuguese Online).
  • 2 PM – A Caminho dos 50: On the Road to 50 (Memories and Perspectives)
    With Eduardo Eusébio, Manuel Bettencourt, Deolinda Adão, José Luís da Silva, and Isabel Cabral.
  • 4 PM – Closing Ceremonies (bilingual)
    Diniz Borges, Deolinda Adão, José Luís da Silva.
    Includes tribute: Álamo Oliveira – Arquipélago de Escritores.

Special Segments

  • Forty Years, Endless Horizons: FLAD Across the Atlantic — Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Luso-American Development Foundation.
  • Da Ilha ao Mundo: A Palavra Viva de Álamo Oliveira — Honoring the life and work of Azorean writer Álamo Oliveira throughout the conference.

Mission and Vision

Mission:
To celebrate and explore the rich cultural, historical, and social contributions of the Portuguese diaspora, fostering meaningful dialogue, research, and collaboration, and illuminating the enduring threads of connection within a global tapestry.

Vision:
To create a vibrant, inclusive platform that bridges communities, academics, and cultural practitioners, ensuring that the diaspora’s heritage is preserved, celebrated, and integrated into a shared vision for a multicultural future.

Statement from LAEF President Maria Roliz

“The Luso-American Education Foundation was established in 1963 to advance Portuguese language, culture, and heritage in the United States. Our annual conference is one of our most important initiatives. This year’s gathering — with more than a dozen panels and cultural events — continues our mission of promoting dialogue, research, and cultural pride while strengthening connections across the global Portuguese diaspora.”

Registration is free and open to the public.
Join via Zoom, follow on Facebook, or watch later on the Fresno State/PBBI YouTube Channel.

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84041620446

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