News Releases

Brazilian Government Bestows Order of Rio Branco upon Dr Jo-Anne Ferreira of The UWI St. Augustine

For Release Upon Receipt - January 10, 2025

St. Augustine


Dr. Jo-Anne Ferreira, Senior Lecturer in Linguistics in the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics (DMLL) at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), St. Augustine Campus, has been awarded the prestigious Order of Rio Branco by the Government of Brazil. This honour, conferred by Brazil’s President, recognises her outstanding contributions to advancing the Portuguese language and fostering cultural ties between Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Ferreira received the medal and diploma during a ceremony on Monday, 16 December 2024, at the Official Residence of the Brazilian Ambassador, Her Excellency Maria Elisa Teófilo de Luna. The event was attended by members of the diplomatic corps and the academic community. 

The award is Brazil’s highest honorific title, granted by the President of Brazil to those who have done outstanding work in a wide range of areas. Expressing gratitude for the recognition, Dr. Ferreira said, "I am deeply honoured to be recognised by the President and Government of the Federative Republic of Brazil. Brazil has become a second home to me, and I am truly humbled by this highly prestigious award. It is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our DMLL team, including Heather Mac Intosh-Simon and Sean Samad, with the support of all of our Heads of Department and Deans, and the Embassy of Brazil. It is my hope that this recognition will boost Portuguese and Brazilian Studies in the Caribbean, especially given Brazil's position as CARICOM's largest neighbour. I am deeply grateful for this distinction. Muito obrigada, Brasil." 

L-R: Her Excellency Maria Luna Teófilo de Luna, Ambassador of Brazil, and Dr. Jo-Anne Ferreira, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics at The University of the West Indies (The UWI) St. Augustine Campus.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva made the announcement during the International Day of Diplomats Ceremony in Brasília at the Itamaraty Palace. This formal conferral underscores the significance of the recognition and its timing in December 2024. Dr. Ferreira received the official correspondence via email from His Excellency Rodrigo do Amaral Souza, Ambassador of Brazil, on 14 December 2023. 

Dr. Ferreira's impactful 40-year academic career began at Université de Grenoble III (now Grenoble Alpes) in France, where she first studied Portuguese with Brazilian teachers. After earning her BA at UWI, St Augustine, she completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Brazilian Indigenous Languages at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in 1998 and defended her PhD in Linguistics at UWI in 1999, focusing on the Portuguese language of Trinidad and Tobago. 

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Sean Samad (Adjunct Lecturer, Brazilian Studies and Adjunct Lecturer, Communication Studies, The UWI St. Augustine), Dr. Savrina Chinien (Interim Head, Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics, The UWI St. Augustine), and André Rosa Bueno (Minister Counsellor)

Recognised for her pioneering research on the Portuguese community in Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Ferreira has advanced Luso-Caribbean Studies within global Lusophone Studies through numerous publications in English and Portuguese. Her work has deepened understanding of Portuguese contributions to Caribbean linguistics and expanded Caribbean Creole linguistics in Brazil, particularly French Creole. Notably, 2024 marked the 190th anniversary of the Portuguese presence in Trinidad and Tobago. 

The UWI congratulates Dr. Ferreira on this esteemed honour.

 

Dr. Jo-Anne Ferreira (middle) is congratulated by her uncle, Everard Ferreira (at left), and close family friend, Savitri Bridgemohansingh (at right).

About The University of the West Indies  

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is the Caribbean’s premier, higher education institution. One of only two regional universities in the world, it comprises five campuses across the English-speaking Caribbean and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. The UWI has been consistently ranked among the best in the world by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE).

Learn more at www.uwi.edu

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