2019/6/17

On Friday, June 7th, the 3rd Joana Abranches Pinto Award was conferred to the Department of Brazilian and Portuguese Studies by the Embassy of Portugal. The award is funded by donations from Ms. Joana Abranches Pinto, who was formerly a Portuguese Vice-Consul to Japan, and is conferred to persons or groups working in Japan, who have made distinguished achievements in strengthening the relationship between the two countries, especially in the field of culture. Dr. Yoshikazu Morita, Chancellor and Chair of the Board of Governors, has attended Portugal Day every year with invitation from the Portuguese Ambassador to Japan, but this year became a memorable one.

In the conferment ceremony, Dr. Morita expressed his gratitude as follows: “Two years ago, when the Kyoto University of Foreign Studies celebrated its 70th anniversary, our Department of Brazilian and Portuguese Studies had also celebrated its 50th, and for half a century, the Embassy of Portugal has tremendously supported us to continue with our education and research. I would like to especially thank you for conferring the Portuguese Ambassador to Japan Award at the 37th All Japan Portuguese Speech Contest this year and granting awardees with scholarships to study in Portugal for one year.” The Portuguese Ambassador to Japan mentioned the late Professor Kiichi Matsuda and Professor Emeritus Momota Kawasaki, who together translated Historia de Iapam into Japanese, and emphasized the contributions made by the previous and current department chairs. The conferment was celebrated by a full audience, including Mr. Seishiro Eto, President of the Portugal-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Group.

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