The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for Parliamentary Affairs highlighted in Praia da Vitória the importance of creativity and innovation for the future of the Azores, "especially when the process is led and promoted by young people."

Berto Messias spoke Thursday at Terceira Academy of Youth and Arts during the presentation of the sixth edition of the Young Creators Competition - LABJOVEM. He stressed that "in a world with increasingly indefinite borders, where technological and digital evolution bring us close while making us more global and cosmopolitan, we will only be able to affirm ourselves with more creativity and innovation."

"This type of initiative is an important contribution to the creative, imaginative and innovative culture we want to promote, not only in cultural aspects but also in all aspects of our society," said the government official.
 
"This year, we decided to extend the competition to schools. We will promote a different theme on each year that will serve as the basis for students interested in participating in this competition," said Berto Messias.  As he revealed, "this year’s edition will focus on the theme of energy efficiency."

"Hence, we intend to strengthen and apply the concepts of creativity and innovation in issues that are fundamental to our day-to-day life and in strategic sectors for the future of the Region," said the government official.
LABJOVEM is a partnership between the Government of the Azores and Burra de Milho Cultural Association. This year, it celebrates its 10th anniversary.

The initiative aims to encourage and promote young artists from different areas, serving as a platform for a new generation of Azorean artists and a space to promote their work.

In this edition, the areas in competition are as follows: architecture, plastic arts, digital arts, photography, literature, music and video.

The Labjovem competition is open to young people between the ages of 18 and 35, who were born in the Azores and or who have resided in the Region for at least two years.

All the information and the registration form for this competition are available at the address www.labjovem.pt.