"The big problem for Portugal is that people here do not know the value in what we have," said Ana Miranda, director of the Art Institute in New York, at the first annual meeting of the Council of the Portuguese Diaspora, held today in Cascais.
With 52 members, representing the Portuguese in 15 countries and four continents, the Council brought together 'influential Portuguese' living overseas to a networking event to help reinforce the reputation of Portugal and help in the development and prosperity of the country.
Ana Miranda said we need to "convince 10 million people that Portugal has value,” it is necessary to promote the country abroad. Currently, she said, Portugal "is lousy at selling itself.”
Of much the same opinion is actor Joaquim de Almeida who said that "the country needs to be promoted because it is not well known abroad.”
Referring in particular to the United States, where he works regularly, Joaquim de Almeida said that on the east coast people may have heard of Portugal, “but in California, Portugal does not exist."
João Fernandes, the deputy director of the Reina Sofia museum in Madrid, said for his part that the Portuguese did not know "how well known many of its artists are, some of its best ambassadors are often works of art made by the Portuguese."
Belinda Xavier of the Vaudois University Hospital Center, Switzerland, said it was of "utmost importance to realise that Portugal is not just problems."
"We have immense advantages and qualities and we need Portuguese people who are out there to lead by example," said the scientist, adding that people with important positions abroad should be seen as an asset and not as a threat.
Ana Miranda argued that one way of putting forward an image of a modern Portugal is through culture. "Those who come to Portugal never fail to like it, so we just have to try to bring them here and, through a movie, or a song, one can pass messages that otherwise was not possible," said the head of the art Institute of New York, adding, “everyone knows New York , even without ever having gone there.”
From a businessman’s perspective Joao Picoito, chairman of Nokia Siemens Networks for Europe South, East and Central, agreed to be an adviser to Portugal in the world to help Portugal "help improve the country's image and help attract investment."
António Horta Osório, executive chairman of Lloyds Bank, argued that the great aim of the Council of the Portuguese Diaspora is "to create a circle in which people can highlight Portugal abroad and create a bond between them that also makes it always possible to support Portugal."
