On Sunday afternoon, The Town of Bradford along with members of the Portuguese community raised the flag at the downtown courthouse for Portugal Day, celebrated every year on June 10.
The day honours the death of Portuguese poet Luís de Camões in 1850, who wrote The Lusiads, describing the nation's culture and history. It is a symbolic piece of literature that brings a sense of pride to the Portuguese community.
This is the second year in a row where the typical largely attended event has had to be scaled down to five people.
Deputy Mayor James Leduc, along with Coun. Gary Lamb and members from the Portuguese Cultural Centre Paoulo Perdiz, Elizabeth Lambert and Ceu Perdiz were on hand Sunday afternoon for a small ceremony to commemorate the day.
The flags were raised to half-staff out of respect for the remains of 215 Indigenous children found at a former residential school the other week.
Leduc read out the proclamation for Portugal Day, followed by the playing of both the Canadian and Portuguese national anthems.
The Portuguese Cultural Centre on Simcoe Road was built in 1983 and has been the location of many community events over the years.
"I'd like to thank you for watching today and thank everyone for sticking with us, it's been a tough year and a half," said Lambert. "As soon as we can have an event again, we are going to enjoy and have big parties to celebrate the Portuguese and Canadian community in Bradford."
