CULTURAL BRIDGES
The Portuguese diaspora from Castro Daire in Luxembourg
Public book presentations:
Lëtzebuerg City Bibliothèque
July 1st, 5:00 p.m.
Bibliothèque Municipale d’Esch-sur-Alzette
July 2nd, 7:00 p.m.
Bibliothèque Publique Régionale de Dudelange
July 3rd, 7:00 p.m.
A co-edition by the Municipality of Castro Daire and Binaural Nodar, in collaboration with the Lëtzebuerg City Bibliothèque, the Bibliothèque Municipale d’Esch-sur-Alzette, and the Bibliothèque Publique Régionale de Dudelange, co-funded by the Portuguese Republic – Directorate-General for the Arts and by the European Union, within the Creative Europe project Tramontana Network.
The history of Portuguese emigration to Luxembourg dates back to the 1960s and 1970s, when many Portuguese, fleeing poverty and political instability, sought better living conditions abroad. Today, the Portuguese community is estimated to represent around 15% of Luxembourg’s population, which corresponds to more than 90,000 people – one of the largest migrant groups in the country.
Among these emigrants are many from mountainous regions of Portugal, such as the Montemuro mountains, in the municipality of Castro Daire, where socioeconomic difficulties and geographic isolation drove the search for new opportunities across borders.
It was in this context that, in 2025, a project was launched to collect testimonies from former and current emigrants from the municipality of Castro Daire who established their lives in Luxembourg.
Through audiovisual community sessions, the project collected life stories ranging from the professions they held to the defining moments of departure and arrival, vacation trips to Portugal, and so many other episodes that make up migrant daily life. The project also included the collection of photographs documenting the places and contexts of departure – such as scenes of childhood and youth in the villages of Castro Daire – as well as the new living spaces in Luxembourg: home, work, social gatherings among Portuguese people, trips to discover the host country, and temporary returns to the homeland.
The project now culminates in the publication of a bilingual book, in French and Portuguese, coordinated by Luís Gomes da Costa and Marta Carvalhal, bringing together contextual texts, testimonies, and photographs, which will be presented from July 1st to 3rd at the three partner libraries in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
Credits:
Editorial coordination:
Luís Gomes da Costa, Marta Carvalhal
Interviews and photographic collection:
Luís Gomes da Costa, Andreia Mota, Marta Carvalhal
Graphic design:
Liliana Silva
Interview transcription:
Andreia Mota
Proofreading:
Andreia Mota, Luís Gomes da Costa, Marta Carvalhal, Deborah Storn
Binaural Nodar is a cultural organization supported by the Portuguese Republic – Culture, Youth, and Sports | Directorate-General for the Arts.