In an interview with Lusa at the Consulate General of Portugal in New York, where he began a visit to the United States, Emídio Sousa indicated that, for his part, he is reviewing the legal framework for teaching Portuguese abroad, as a fundamental tool to "keep Portuguese identity active".

"This legal framework has not been updated for 19 years, if my memory serves me right; therefore, I am finalising this project to review the legal framework to make the teaching of Portuguese more attractive," he said, admitting to having received some complaints about unattractive salary conditions in relation to teaching Portuguese in the United States. "Regarding the [role of the] Government, it is essentially about revising the legal framework, improving the conditions for attending classes, the distribution of textbooks, and online classes. Therefore, this is all the work that the Portuguese Government is doing," he assured.

However, Emídio Sousa appealed to Portuguese communities not to distance themselves from the Portuguese language, stressing that the language is an "important tool for the future."

"The constant appeal to our communities is to speak Portuguese at home. It is the greatest and best tool we have for learning the language. (...) Often, the second and third generations, as they marry native speakers, lose a little of this connection, but I usually say that it can be an important tool even for the future. Having extra skills is never a problem," he observed.

Portuguese is not only one of the most widely spoken languages ​​in the world, with over 265 million speakers spread across all continents, but it is also the most spoken language in the Southern Hemisphere, according to UNESCO data.

"Therefore, I challenge families, people, to invest in our language," added the Secretary of State, asking families to first speak the language at home and then refine it in Portuguese schools in their areas of residence.

The United States is one of the countries where Portuguese language teaching has grown the most, with over 20,000 students in primary and secondary education, and over 2,000 students in higher education, supported by more than 400 teachers, according to official data, which indicates a 100% growth in the last 10 years.

The importance given to the Portuguese language by the educational system is reflected in its accreditation as a language of access to higher education through the 'National Examinations in World Languages' (NEWL) exam.