The Regional Director for Youth stated in Horta that it is "essential to invest in young Azoreans," not only through incentive programmes designed to promote innovative projects, solidarity or associations but also "through the implementation of measures towards the inclusion and active participation of young people in the different sectors of society, whether they are political, economic or social."
 
Lúcio Rodrigues spoke at the Legislative Assembly during the Youth Parliament session dedicated to secondary school students. It was held under the theme "The Constitution we have the Constitution we want: Challenges to Local Power?"
 
The Regional Director emphasised the relevance of the theme chosen for this year, noting that it allowed all young people involved "to gain knowledge on our fundamental law, which is the foundation of all other laws." Moreover, it provided "a space for their reflection and interpretation regarding what they believe to be important to change or improve."
 
In his speech, Lúcio Rodrigues recalled that the Constitution "paved the way for the Autonomy and the political and administrative statutes to become a reality." It allowed autonomous regions to have "self-government bodies with the power the define policies according to their own realities and specificities." According to him, this made possible "the investment in key areas, namely in youth."
 
For the Regional Director, the Youth Parliament "is based on two very important pillars," promoting "education for citizenship" and "stimulating the interest of young people for debate, particularly in the presentation and discussion of proposals on pressing issues."
 
"If the future lies in young people, it is necessary to include them in the present and make the best use of their energy and momentum, so that we may prepare them for a society that evolves consciously and consistently," said the government official.
 
Lúcio Rodrigues stressed that young people "know how to be responsible" and "know how to take conscientious decisions, fulfilling and enforcing the rights and obligations embodied in the Constitution." In this context, the government official praised "the high level of participation and the quality they have demonstrated throughout this process, starting in the school phase."
 
The Youth Parliament involved 34 schools represented by 71 secondary school students, who experienced the role of a member of the Parliament for a day. The initiative has been supported by the Government of the Azores, through the Regional Director for Youth and the Assembly Legislature for more than two decades.