The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for Parliamentary Affairs stressed in Ponta Delgada that Ideiaçores is "the confirmation that we have a young, innovative Region with great confidence in the future."
 
Berto Messias spoke at the opening of the 9th Edition of Ideiaçores Regional Competition, an initiative that involves many young Azoreans with the aim of "encouraging them for entrepreneurship for life."
 
The Regional Secretary highlighted the "considerable success of the initiative in our Region in recent years." On the occasion, he pointed out that the merit is "of the students who participate in the competition" and, to a large extent, " of the teachers who have decided to embrace this initiative for what it represents for the future of our children, the future of our young people and the future of our Region."
 
"Without teachers, we would not be able to make Entrepreneurial Education today a national and European reference," stressed the government official.
 
The Regional Secretary congratulated the students attending the event for reaching the final phase of Ideiaçores, also recalling and greeting "all those who participated in the school phase of the regional competition and did not make it to the final."
 
Even though "some of the ideas emerging from this competition have already been turned into companies, creating jobs and generating wealth," Berto Messias explained that the Government's goal for this programme "is not just about creating companies and creating jobs, but rather the promotion of proactivity among Azorean youth."
For Berto Messias, youth should "embrace a proactive approach. Accordingly, they will be better prepared for the challenges of the future, feel the desire to participate in their community and their parish and organise themselves in informal youth groups towards the defence of their community's interests."
 
The Regional Secretary admitted that sometimes "the elders tend to criticise young people." In this context, he defended that sometimes "it will be up to the elders to make room for young people by allowing them to participate more actively and do more things."
 
"We are working - successfully - to create a younger and innovative Region with more confidence in the future so that our younger generations may be aware of the future and of what they desire for their lives and our collective life," concluded Berto Messias.