Every year, the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (Portuguese acronym: CPLP) organizes activities directed to youth from the eight that are a part of it (Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, Guiné-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé e Príncipe and Timor-Leste).
Art and Sport are two areas that deserve, from the part of the Community, the promotion of meets and events especially directed to the new generations.
The General Director for the Secretariat of State of Youth and Sport in Timor-Leste, José Luís de Pádua Oliveira, explained that the Community, “during even years, develops the CPLP Games and during odd years, a Young Creators Show. The even year is for Sport and the odd year is for Art. Last year, in 2009 and in Lisbon, the Young Creator Show was on. This year, in 2010, we have the Games in Mozambique. In 2011, the Young Creators show will be held in Cape Verde. 2012 will be decided at the Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth and Sport in the CPLP, which will occur on the 1st of August, also in Maputo”.
By carrying through with these events, one of CPLP’s objectives is, on one hand, to promote youth interaction and, on the other hand, dinamize Art and Sport with young people. A highlight in this organization is that the rule of rotation in the event’s organization promotes dynamism within the organizing country.
The greatest benefit in Timor-Leste’s participation in these CPLP meets is, for José Luís de Pádua Oliveira, “to join youngsters from the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries that have common links in their History, to remember and keep alive the Lusofone issue”.
It is reminded that the CPLP Games were established in 1990 through the Multilateral Agreement for Cooperation, signed in Lisbon, by Angola, Cape Verde, Guiné-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal and Sao Tomé e Príncipe. Brazil only participated as an observer, and signed it later on.
Portugal welcomed the CPLP Games’ first edition in 1992. The second edition took place in Guiné-Bissau, in 1995. The third took place in Mozambique in 1997. Cape Verde organized the 4th edition of the Games, in 2002. The fifth edition took place in Angola, in 2005. The sixth, in Brazil, in 2008. This year the CPLP Games will return to the Mozambique capital, Maputo.