The President of the Republic defended this Thursday, December 18th, International Migrants Day, that Portugal is the product of migration and highlighted that migrants play “critical roles in the labor markets” and drive “innovation and entrepreneurship”.
In a message published on the website of the Presidency of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa considers that History shows “how migration has been an expression of people’s ability to overcome adversity in the search for better living conditions”.
“Portugal is a country of emigration and immigration. Migrations are part of our past, we live them in the present moment and will continue to mark our future and today’s day gives us a special opportunity to highlight the invaluable contributions of millions of migrants around the world”, he maintains.
The Head of State points out that “migrants play critical roles in labor markets, filling skills gaps, boosting innovation and entrepreneurship and facing demographic challenges in aging societies”.
“Migrants drive economic growth and provide more development to communities in their countries of origin”, reads the President’s note.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa emphasizes that “Portugal is only what it is because it was born as a result of migrations, coming from Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, North Africa, Asia, and, later, the Americas”.
“In our DNA, in our language, in our culture, these marks have been present for more than eight centuries, and will be forever”, he argues.