Portugal is a society favorable to coexistence between different cultures, though Roma residents, people from South Asia, and Muslims are viewed as the communities that contribute the least to the country’s development, according to a survey.
These same communities are also identified as those experiencing the highest levels of discrimination, according to the survey of 1,200 Portuguese citizens promoted by the Lisbon Israelite Community (CIL).
The survey aimed to assess how the Portuguese perceive the Jewish community alongside other communities present in Portugal, including Roma, Muslims, Brazilians, Africans, people from South Asia, Chinese, Ukrainian refugees, expatriates, and digital nomads.
Nearly half of the respondents consider the contribution of Jewish people to Portugal’s development to be positive, while only 3% state they know the Jewish community well, and almost half admit that events in Israel affect the overall image of Jewish people.
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Although the majority of respondents state they have heard of antisemitism, 19% have never heard the term, and only 40% correctly identify antisemitism as hostility or prejudice against Jews.
Regarding the concept of Zionism, 40% of the surveyed individuals state they are unfamiliar with the term, according to the study.
The responses show that Portugal remains a society open to the coexistence of different cultures and religions, with around 68% of respondents stating they feel comfortable living alongside people of different cultures or religions, and 92% arguing that cultural and religious diversity should be accepted as long as fundamental values are respected.
Among the respondents, who answered the survey between May and June of this year, a neutral perception of “neither safe nor unsafe” predominates regarding these communities.
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However, clear differences emerge: some groups are viewed more positively, such as the Ukrainian community, while others face more negative perceptions, such as Roma, Muslims, and Africans.
