Launch of a bilingual book
On Wednesday, 1 July 2026, the new book "Pontes culturais: A diáspora portuguesa de Castro Daire no Luxemburgo – Ponts culturels : la diaspora portugaise de Castro Daire au Luxembourg" was launched at Cercle Cité. Notable guests at the launch were Luxembourg City Mayor Lydie Polfer; Castro Daire Mayor Paulo Martins De Almeida; Corinne Cahen, Luxembourg City Alderwoman for integration; Marta Carvalhal, librarian and head of the Castro Daire municipal library; Luís Gomes da Costa, coordinator and co-founder of Binaural Nodar – Associação Cultural; the heads of the three Luxembourg municipal libraries which were involved in the project – those of Luxembourg City, Esch-sur-Alzette and Dudelange; and contributors to the project.
This French–Portuguese bilingual book is structured around a series of 27 interviews, carried out in July 2025, with Luxembourg residents who originate from the municipality of Castro Daire (in Portugal's Viseu district). Their testimonials trace the life experiences of people of a range of ages and backgrounds. They discuss their reasons for leaving Castro Daire, their experiences in Luxembourg, moments of nostalgia, issues relating to integration into the host country, and maintaining links with their original culture.
The publication marks the conclusion of the project "Pontes culturais: A diáspora portuguesa de Castro Daire no Luxemburgo – Ponts culturels : la diaspora portugaise de Castro Daire au Luxembourg", which has been ongoing since 2025, led by the Castro Daire municipal library and the cultural association Binaural Nodar, which, among other things, works with soundscapes and audiovisual ethnographic documentation, in collaboration with the Lëtzebuerg City Bibliothèque, the Bibliothèque Publique Régionale de Dudelange and Escher Bibliothéik. Beyond its documentary subject, the project aims to shed light on the history of Portuguese migration, and to showcase the cultural heritage of the Portuguese community in Luxembourg and promote intercultural dialogue. In addition, it highlights the role of public libraries as places for people to meet and exchange ideas.
The book will be available for loan from the Lëtzebuerg City Bibliothèque from mid-July 2026.
