Exploring justice and belonging: Highlights from the VII Symposium on Portuguese as a Heritage Language (SEPOLH)

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From October 23 to 26, 2025, educators, researchers, and community leaders from across the world gathered to discuss Justice and Social Inclusion in the Teaching of Portuguese as a Heritage Language (SEPOHL) in Brussels, Belgium. The symposium celebrated the power of language to connect, resist, and empower, especially when community initiatives and universities work together to create a more equitable educational landscape.


Some attendees from the final day of the VII SEPOLH in Brussels, 2025.


From multiverses to multivoices

The opening address by Dr. Ana Souza invited us to imagine the “multiverse ” of Portuguese as a Heritage Language — diverse, overlapping, and ever-evolving. She reminded participants that “the identity of POLH reflects the identity of its teachers”, and that linguistic justice depends on redistribution and political representation. Her words resonated strongly with the experiences of community educators across Europe, many of whom operate independently, often without institutional or financial support.

Dr. Ana Souza, who initiated the SEPOLH movement (with Jessika Rabello on the right).


Community, gender, and access

Across sessions, speakers from Japan, Belgium, France, Italy, and Germany showcased projects that bridge language learning, identity, and social inclusion. The common threads that emerged were: maternal leadership, volunteer commitment, and the ongoing challenge of ensuring access for all families, regardless of background. Dr. Andreia Moroni’s reflection that “POLH has the face of a woman” captured the emotional and political labour sustaining heritage-language work amongst the initiatives. 

Dr. Andrei Moroni, from Instiuto Guimarães Rosa in Barcelona, shares her multilingual poetry book, “Poesias Pequeninas”.


Introducing reflection tools for families

In my own presentation, representing both the University of Westminster and the Biblioteca Brasileira – Casa do Livro (Brazilian Library) in London, I introduced Dr. Sabine Little’s questionnaire — a tool that encourages individuals and families to reflect on their motivations for maintaining and engaging with their heritage languages. The activity was warmly received by the Lusophone community, sparking heartfelt conversations about identity and the ideologies that shape family language choices. It proved to be a meaningful way to connect research with practice, inviting participants to pause and reflect: Why do we choose to preserve our languages — and sometime, why don’t we?


A presentation that introduced Dr. Sabine Little’s Motivation Questionnaire. 


A shared commitment to justice

The symposium reaffirmed that linguistic justice goes beyond teaching a language — it is about representation and dignity. As communities continue to build their own paths to education and belonging, collaboration between grassroots initiatives and academic institutions remains an underexplored resource. The “Biblioteca Brasileira – Casa do Livro” presentation opened discussions about the need for creating open, inclusive spaces where Portuguese is not only taught, but lived as a shared heritage reflective of local communities. 

This event is the highlight of Portuguese as a Heritage Language initiatives in Europe and connects with similar efforts around the world. However, it remains the only one dedicated specifically to the Brazilian diaspora. We look forward to seeing everyone again in two years’ time in Aix-en-Provence, France!


Final presentation on the objectives of the Brazilian Library Casa do Livro, to open the language rights debate.


For more information about VII Symposium on Portuguese as a Heritage Language (SEPOLH) go to their website: https://www.sepolh.eu/simposio-atual.