From: benlizro@ihug.co.nz   
      
   "This day was officially established in 2009 by the Community of   
   Portuguese-speaking Countries, and in 2019 UNESCO made it a world day --   
   the first time such a status had been given to a language that isn't an   
   official medium at the United Nations. The case was supportedby two   
   facts: Portuguese isthe most widely spoken language in the southern   
   hemisphere, notably in Brazil; and it was a leading language during the   
   first wave of globalization, introducing loan words into many   
   languages." (Crystal)   
      
   No explanation of why this day. Antonio?   
      
   UNESCO, naturally, honours big languages with days. New Zealand has   
   taken to doing it in weeks, and all the languages so honoured would have   
   to be called small (if not tiny) on a world scale. It started with Maori   
   Language Week, quite a few years ago, at a time when the language still   
   seemed seriously endangered. The week has expanded to a month, but the   
   language seems to have reached a much healthier state for a variety of   
   reasons.   
      
   They have now added Tongan, Samoan, Niuean and some other Pacific   
   islands from which substantial numbers of immigrants have settled here.   
   Those immigrant communities have had varying success in keeping their   
   languages going here.   
      
   Just recently it was announced that we would have Tok Pisin and Solomons   
   Pijin weeks in the near future. (I don't know why Bislama was   
   overlooked.) The actual number of speakers of these in NZ must be even   
   smaller.   
      
   Today is the first day of NZ Sign Language Week. NZSL enjoys national-   
   language status along with Maori, so one can't argue with its inclusion.   
   One of the special events was an Air NZ flight (maybe just an hour's   
   sightseeing jaunt) with all deaf passengers and all cabin crew able to   
   communicate in NZSL.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)