PAKISTANI COMMUNITY ORGANIZES PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE CLASSES

With an estimated size of 30,000 members, the Pakistani diaspora in Portugal has grown exponentially in recent years. However with this growth also came several challenges to their integration in Portuguese society, such as legal issues, language difficulties and housing costs.

To help with that Ashar Anjum created APAQ – Associação Paquistanesa de Portugal, a non-governmental organization dedicated to supporting the integration of Pakistanis in Portugal through community-building efforts such as cultural festivals and conferences, since July 2024.

One of their latest initiatives is offering Portuguese language courses. The classes, scheduled to start on the 18th of October, will provide students with one class of Portuguese per week, with 50 students registered. The demand for these classes meant that registrations had to be closed, to ensure the good logistics required for the education of the students. These classes will give basic knowledge of the Portuguese language and allow the students to not only tackle a serious challenge to their presence in Portugal but also integrate them in Portuguese society and daily life.

The next big step for APAQ, according to Mr Anjum, is the creation of a community center to allow mutual cultural interchanges. Although focused on Pakistan, Mr Anjum believes APAQ can one day help all immigrants in Portugal, regardless of their national origin, and in the process aid in developing the country.

The opening ceremony for the language course was attended by dozens of Pakistani nationals and counted with the participation of the Ambassador of Pakistan in Portugal, Dr Muhammad Khalid Ejaz, and of the President of the Islamic World Observatory, Dr João Henriques, showcasing the importance of the work being developed.

Photo courtesy of APAQ. You can find more information about their work on their page.