Lusophilia (Portuguese: Lusofilia) is the love of, or friendship or sympathy toward, Portugal and/or things Portuguese. The word derives from Luso- (representing Lusitania, an ancient Roman province corresponding to modern Portugal) plus -philia (Greek ???í?, "affection"). The opposite sentiment is lusophobia.

Lusofonia

The Lusofonia or Portuguese-speaking community is an obvious source of lusophilia. This includes Portugal's former colonies and Portuguese expatriates worldwide. Both past and current cultural trends or fashions born in Portugal are often followed in such territories around the world by a considerable number of native residents. This includes an extensive demand for Europe-made music, sports (particularly football/soccer), television and other media, websites and consumer products from Portugal. Good diplomatic relations and high influxs of immigrants from these former colonies to Portugal, and of Portuguese tourists and foreign direct investment in the opposite direction, helped to preserve or even revigorate lusophilia.

Romania

One of the quaint sources of lusophilia has been Romania. The Romanians see the Portuguese as a mythic brotherly Latin people from Western Europe, who live in a warmer peaceful land. The Romanian author and diplomat Lucian Blaga referred to the Portuguese in his poem "La Cur?ile Dorului" - "At the Courtyard of Yearning".

Also notable is the success of some lusophone television shows in Romania, namely Brazilian and Portuguese soap operas, like Morangos com Açúcar which was the first Portuguese television success in Romania. The recent wave of Romanian migration to Portugal has also deepened the admiration for all the Portuguese things in Romania.

See also

• Lusophobia
• Lusitanic
• Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
• Instituto Camões
• CPLP
• Os Lusíadas
• Diaspora - see Portuguese Diaspora
• Reintegracionismo

References

pt:Lusofilia