Portuguese as a Heritage Language in the Soft Power wave

Abstract

Cultural diplomacy, the pillar of any foreign policy, has been an international practice that has been growing globally. Several world governments, regardless of their position in the international system, have adopted art, culture and language as an important element in their foreign policy agenda. When it comes to the Portuguese language, we have noticed a growing movement of its diffusion around the world in recent years and its appreciation as a “global language” (MENDES, 2019). This article deals specifically with Brazilian Portuguese as a heritage language, bringing the concept of Soft Power (NYE Jr., 2004) to show how the promotion of the language can be relevant as a tool of cultural diplomacy, promoting the propagation of Brazilian culture by children residing abroad. Examples of this are the drawing contests “little Brazilians in the world” with themes that direct the eyes of these children to Brazil and, more recently, the Portuguese language Olympics, which encourage the study of Portuguese and its culture. Every edition seeks to involve more children born abroad or who are descendants of Brazilians spread around the world, aiming to awaken their interest in Brazil.