[Diniz Borges asked me to provide a few words about my 2026 calendar, “O último calendário eletrónico ~ Uma síntese” (“The final online calendar ~ Summing up”), because each month this year the Filamentos blog is posting that month’s page, along with a brief explanation of its contents. ~ KFB.]

      In 2012 my husband and I were welcomed for the first time to the Associação Internacional dos Colóquios Lusófonos [AICL], a series of conferences led by Chrys and Helena Chrystello (shown in photo at lower left).

      As the organization’s name implies, AICL promotes the worldwide use of and love for the Portuguese language. Over the years its annual meetings have attracted attendees from six continents to several of the islands. Not surprisingly, all presentations are in Portuguese — even mine about translating Portuguese-language literary works into English (although portions of my PowerPoint slides are necessarily bilingual, in order to illustrate translation challenges).

      Besides the presentation sessions, registrants enjoy guided local sightseeing tours, and musical and cultural entertainments. Non-presenters (typically family or friends) are also welcome to register (at the group rate) for lodging and meals, and to attend conference activities including sightseeing, while walk-ins may attend open sessions for free.

      For further details on the 41st AICL, next month in Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, check: 

https://coloquios.lusofonias.net/XLI

      Information about future AICL conferences will be posted later at:

https://www.lusofonias.net/documentos/pr%C3%B3ximos-coloquios.html

      In memory of Helena Chrystello, d. 25 January 2024.