Prime Minister addressed Portuguese students in Switzerland: "We need you in Portugal"

The Prime Minister told the Portuguese language students at a school in Geneva on Tuesday that he hopes they are happy in Switzerland, but stressed they are also needed in Portugal.

"Our aim is that you are happy and fulfilled where you are – students, teachers, and the community – but we also need you in Portugal", stated Luís Montenegro at the first point on his joint trip to Switzerland with the President of the Republic for the celebration of Portugal Day.

In a school with three Portuguese teaching classes, the Prime Minister asked these young people to continue learning "Portuguese language, history, and culture" and "to keep the ties" with your family, friends and interests in Portugal alive. 

"The Portuguese Government, your Government will host you in our country to help create a stronger socially and economically society, so it can be fairer and offer everyone an opportunity", Luís Montenegro claimed.

The Prime Minister considered "it is very comforting" to see that the Portuguese culture and language "are very much alive" in Switzerland, a country that has around 260 thousand Portuguese emigrants.

"Being here today by decision of the President of the Republic is testament of the proximity and importance we attribute to being here with you (…). We, Portuguese, are capable of being a good a the best or even the best of the best", he praised, offering as example the poet Luís de Camões.

After their initial speech, the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister, sitting down on a stage in of the classrooms with a picture of Luís de Camões behind them, answered a few questions from the students who were aged between 11 and 14 years.

"How do you think I feel when I am an emigrant and I don’t belong anywhere?", Francisca Martins asked.

The Prime Minister asked her to "always feel Portuguese" and took the opportunity to speak about the situation of the immigrants in Portugal, almost a million, many of them with children in Portuguese schools: "I often tell them they too should feel Portuguese new Portuguese, and that Portugal wishes them well. Someone who thinks this about the people they welcome in their country must also respect those who welcome ours well and Switzerland has always welcomed the Portuguese well ".

To answer another student, who asked them what can be done to keep young people from leaving Portugal, Montenegro reiterated that this is one of the Government’s priorities: "We need to be committed to have youths with positive differentiation so they can stay in Portugal: paying less taxes, having assistance to purchase their first home".

Montenegro repeated the call for young people "to think about living in Portugal" or, at least, "not to forget that many of their relatives and friends are there ". "Continue helping us, bring more investment to Portugal and open more companies here. And make an effort to preserve one of the most valuable heritages that unites us: language", he called for.

When asked whether he liked to go to school when he was young, Luís Montenegro replied he did, but admitted his "favourite part were the breaks". "School is an opportunity, don’t waste it, make the most of it to learn and have fun", he counselled.