UN General Assembly
2011

It is a great honour to participate in the General Assembly and a great privilege to greet Members on behalf of the people and the Government of Cape Verde. I address the Assembly in the Cape Verdean language, the Creole of Cape Verde. I believe this is the first time Cape Verdean Creole is used in United Nations General Assembly. I do it to share with the Assembly this piece of authentic world heritage, born on the threshold of the fifteenth century. Linguistic experts consider it the oldest Creole of Euro-African origin and the oldest within the Atlantic context. I use it also because language is culture, history and memory. All languages are expressions of thoughts, knowledge and practices. Languages are no doubt an expression of civilization. Therefore, speaking in the Creole of Cape Verde, in this most important Hall, at a meeting of heads of State and Government, is a reference to our conviction that the Creole identity is of anthropological value for all humanity. It is a way of highlighting our Cape