PANAJI: The president of the Indo-Portuguese Friendship Society-Goa, Mr Elinio Colaço said that though Portuguese is a difficult language, the students at the Portuguese course can master the same by conversing in it, listening to Portuguese television channel, viewing Portuguese films and reading Portuguese books.

Earlier, 68 students of the first-ever Portuguese language course organised by the IPFS-Goa, at Mapusa and Calangute from April to August, received certificates, during a special convocation ceremony held in the city, on Sunday. The course was organised in association with Fundacao Cidade de Lisboa, and Direcção Regional de Educação de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo.

The former president of the IPFS-Goa, Mr Xantarama Sinai Counto was the chief guest on the occasion. Dr Isabela Vasconcelos e Sousa, a teacher from Portugal who conducted the classes as well as Dr Maria de Conceção Pereira, another Portuguese teacher who will be conducting Portuguese classes in Margao were also present on the occasion.

Clarissa Costa was awarded the Eng Nuno Crus Abecasis gold medal for being the top student at the course, while Victor Lobo was awarded Fundacao Cidade de Lisboa prize. The award in memory of the former consul general of Portugal in Goa, Dr Pedro Cabral Adão went to Kavita Karekar.

Earlier, Mr Gopal Vernekar representing the IPFS-Goa, in his welcome address said that the IPFS-Goa, besides holding various Portuguese language classes in Goa, also takes a group of Goan students on the tour of Portugal, every year, and further, sponsors 4 students for language study in Lisbon, in association with the Fundacao Cidade de Lisboa, annually.