This is The Discourse on Channel Africa. Today, as the world marks World Portuguese Language Day, we turn our focus to a language spoken by more than 265 million people across four continents - a language that carries histories of empire, resistance, culture, and global exchange. From Lisbon to Luanda, Maputo to São Paulo, Portuguese continues to evolve, shaped by the diverse societies that speak it, and increasingly positioned as a language of international communication and cooperation in a changing world. To explore its global significance and cultural reach, Peter Ndoro spoke to Dr Ana Maria Martinho, a retired Associate Professor at NOVA University Lisbon, an Integrated Researcher at the Centre for the Humanities.  Her work focuses on literatures and cultures in the Portuguese language.