The Movimento Perpétuo: The Portuguese Diaspora in Canada website was launched online on June 1st. This is an initiative of the Embassy of Portugal in Canada, in partnership with the Camões Institute and the Labourers International Union of North America Local 793, to commemorate the 70th anniversaries of Portugal-Canada diplomatic relations (1952-2022) and the beginning of Portuguese mass migration to Canada (1953-2023). The embassy hired Tempo Historical Consulting (Gilberto Fernandes) to lead this project, which also includes a travelling exhibition that will be shown at the Toronto Metro Hall between September 11 and 22. The President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, will be present at the official unveiling (date yet TBD).
Several media outlets in Canada and Portugal covered the launch of the website, including RDP Jornal das Comunidades, Sapo Notícias, OMNI Focus Portuguese, New Canadian Media, YFile, Correio da Manhã Canadá TV, CIRV fm, CHIN fm, and Sol Português (click links to see the stories).
The IC Savings branch in Little Portugal hosted an in-person public presentation of the website on June 10th, Portugal Day, during the Do West Fest. The Ontario NDP leader and Official Leader of the Opposition Marit Stiles, the Ontario NDP MPP Chris Glover, members of the Portuguese-Canadian press, and other guests attended this presentation.
Stiles and Glover spoke at this event and later shared the website on their Twitter accounts.
Other notable people Twitted about the website, including the Portuguese-Canadian MP for Brossard—Saint-Lambert, Quebec, Alexandra Mendès, and the former Minister of the Economy of Portugal Álvaro Santos Pereira.
The website was also presented to the attendees of the Lusophone Studies Association’s international conference held at York University, during the closing plenary session led by Gilberto Fernandes on June 30.
In its first month since the launch, the Movimento Perpétuo website had 1,196 visitors and 4,789 views (3,662 in Canada, 660 in Portugal, 244 in the U.S.)