: Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa on Thursday honoured former Union Minister of State for External Affairs Eduardo Faleiro with the 'Grande Oficial da Ordem do Infante da Henrique', the Portuguese national order of knighthood.
The order was bestowed on Mr. Faleiro (76), a veteran Congress leader, by Mr. Costa, at the residence of the Portuguese Consul General here.
The order is bestowed on individuals for services in the expansion of Portuguese culture, its history and its values.
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Mr. Faleiro, who has studied in Portugal, has been an MLA in Goa and an MP of both the Houses of Parliament. He is credited with the establishment of good diplomatic relations with Portugal as a Minister of State for External Affairs.
Paulo Varela Gomes, a historian and former director of the Fundacao Oriente, an institution engaged in cultural activities in Goa, was posthumously awarded a Cultural Merit Medal. Gomes’ wife Patricia Vieira accepted the medal.
Mr. Costa, who is on a three-day visit to Goa, a former Portuguese colony, later attended a function organised at the Fundacao Oriente, in Fontainhas, the Latin heritage quarter in the city.
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“We must not just look back to our shared history but also look ahead and create newer ties,” said Mr. Costa.