Order of Camões

The Order of Camões (Ordem de Camões) is a Portuguese order of knighthood originally created in 1985 but only fully integrated into the Portuguese honours system on 30 June 2021. It commemorates Luís de Camões, considered Portugal's national poet.

It is a six-tier order, whose titles are awarded for relevant services to the Portuguese language and its international promotion, and to the strengthening of cultural relations between Portuguese-speaking peoples and communities. The number of members in each grade is restricted by its constitution, and titles are conferred by special decree by the Grand Master of the Order, i.e., the President of Portugal.

Grades
The order includes several classes; in decreasing order of seniority, these are:


 * PRT Order of Camões - Grand Collar BAR.svg Grand Collar (Grande-Colar – GColCa)
 * PRT Order of Camões - Grand Cross BAR.svg Grand Cross (Grã-Cruz – GCCa)
 * PRT Order of Camões - Grand Officer BAR.svg Grand Officer (Grande-Oficial – GOCa)
 * PRT Order of Camões - Commander BAR.svg Commander (Comendador – ComCa)
 * PRT Order of Camões - Officer BAR.svg Officer (Oficial – OCa)
 * PRT Order of Camões - Knight BAR.svg Knight/Dame (Cavaleiro – CvCa / Dama – DmCa)
 * Honorary Member (MHCa) (Membro Honorário) — for places or institutions, without indication of a specific grade

The special distinction of Grand Collar can be awarded only to heads of state.

Membership to the Order is conferred by the President, either on his own initiative, upon the recommendation of his Ministers or following nomination by the Council of the Order.

Grand Collar

 * 11 August 2021: Jorge Carlos Fonseca, former President of Cape Verde
 * 16 November 2021: José Saramago, writer and Nobel laureate (posthumous)
 * 6 August 2022: Paula Rego, visual artist (posthumous)
 * 31 October 2022: José Ramos-Horta, President of East Timor
 * 22 April 2023: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil

Grand Cross

 * 5 November 2022: Maria Teresa, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg