The Department of Spanish & Portuguese at the University of Toronto is proud to announce Raul Galvão as the 2024 recipient of the Pedro da Silva Award, sponsored by Caixa Geral de Depósitos.
This award recognizes outstanding achievement in the Portuguese program courses offered in our department. Raul is being recognized for his work in the Major program in Portuguese during the academic year 2023-24. The award includes a scholarship payment, courtesy of the Portuguese bank Caixa Geral de Depósitos.
Raul is completing a double Major in Portuguese and History, and a Minor in Political Science. His journey has not been straightforward: it can be defined by resilience, rediscovery and the power of language.
When asked why he decided to Major in Portuguese, he said: “For me, it was about recovering something that was lost. Out of high school, I didn’t know I wanted to take Portuguese. I originally enrolled in Spanish courses, technically as part of a Minor. After just one year, I realized how quickly I was able to absorb the language and I enjoyed learning it. So I thought to myself, why not do the same for Portuguese?
My family moved from São Paulo, Brazil to Canada when I was nine years old, so I stopped learning Portuguese formally after Grade 3. My vocabulary and grammar remained somewhat basic, and with time got progressively worse. By the time I was in university, I had been losing my Portuguese skills for 12 years already – so I was eager to recover them to reconnect with my family in Brazil, the country, and the culture.”
His journey was not without setbacks. After struggling with his studies in the third year, Raul took the difficult decision to leave university. Over the next three years, he pursued other interests: he played as a setter for the men’s varsity volleyball team at George Brown College and founded SKRA swimwear – one of the first body-positive labels in Canada, offering Brazilian styles in sizes XS to 22. While pursuing success with the swimwear label, he also worked in the restaurant industry part-time and was quickly promoted within. Therefore, he enrolled in Food and Beverage Management diplomas at George Brown College thinking that this might be the right career path for him.
Things were looking up, yet something felt unresolved. Raul shared: “One day, my mom – who was a teacher – told me that she had lately noticed a few things about me and I replied, as if I had read her mind, “I think I have ADHD”. Being diagnosed at 26 was like flipping a light switch! My life turned 180 degrees around after a proper diagnosis and management plan.”
Raul decided to leave the hospitality industry after having closed the swimwear label during the pandemic. He came back to university with a clear plan and renewed focus to continue where he left off in Portuguese studies. He had already seen how valuable a full year of Portuguese studies was: not only it helped him reconnect with this family but also helped him run a business. “Speaking the language allowed me to work with Brazilian designers and suppliers for the swimwear label, communicate clearly by email to get samples and the right changes, understand financials and build partnerships.”
For Raul, receiving the Pedro da Silva Award serves as welcome validation that the decision to come back to university was the right one. “After my ADHD diagnosis, I made a plan for how I was going to manage things differently this time. All my efforts have been rewarded: my grades have improved, my relationships have improved, my problem-solving skills have improved. A few years ago, I never thought completing a degree at UofT would be possible. This award gave me hope: it showed me I am on the right track, doing the right things, even seeing the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.”
Reading about the award’s namesake, Pedro da Silva - the first official postal carrier in what is now Canada – also resonated with him. Raul saw a parallel between da Silva’s legacy and his own journey. “The award is a celebration of the value and contributions of Portuguese-speaking immigrants in this country, within the spirit of bringing people together.”
To students thinking about trying Portuguese courses, Raul is clear: learning Portuguese will open doors in every direction.
“Anytime you learn a new language, you open yourself to new cultures, new ways of thinking. Even if it is only for a year or two, some knowledge of a language unlocks doors to communities, cultures, food, music. Once you graduate and leave UofT, when you travel and work with people who speak other languages, you change how you approach relationships, problems, business. Languages make you human: go enroll in some Portuguese courses now!”
The Pedro da Silva Award, sponsored by Caixa Geral de Depósitos, was created in 2012 in honor of the very first postman in Canada, who was of known Portuguese ancestry. This award recognizes the academic commitment and merit of students of Portuguese students at the University of Toronto. The award ceremony was part of the end of year celebration of the Portuguese program, held on March 28, 2025.
Caixa Geral de Depósitos in Toronto is the Portuguese state bank and, being the top bank in the country, is a reference both to Portuguese citizens, in Portugal and around the world, as well as to all of those wishing to invest in the country. As Canada represents a significant share of the Portuguese immigration abroad, Caixa Geral de Depósitos intends to be present within the communities, and very close to those dedicated to teaching and promoting the Portuguese language.
As the representative of Caixa Geral Depósitos in Toronto, Marisol Ribeiro, explains “CGD is delighted to join the prestigious University of Toronto (Department of Spanish & Portuguese) in rewarding the best student in the Portuguese programs. Through this award, we intend to recognize good performances in the Portuguese language, which year after year gains international prominence. We proudly support the “Pedro da Silva” Award, named after an icon of our community. By partnering with the University of Toronto, we reinforce our commitment to being part of the Portuguese community, to promote the Portuguese language and to strengthen the ties with Canadian institutions.”
