Délia Melo, teacher at Colégio do Castanheiro School, was the candidate chosen by the Region to be the cultural ambassador of the Azores at the 18th Summer Youth Education Camp, an event that will be held at the University of California in Berkeley on June 22-26.

This project is an initiative promoted by the Luso American Education Foundation (LAEF) with the support of the Government, through the Regional Directorate for Communities. It aims to introduce participants to the reality of university life and, simultaneously, stimulate them for the importance of preserving Portuguese cultural heritage.

Délia Melo, the third Azorean ambassador selected by LAEF, will have the mission to disseminate the contemporary and traditional culture of the Azores among 30 youngster, aged between 12 and 18, who will become acquainted with student life on a university campus during the five-day programme. The group of participants will explore various realities of student life, visit several academic departments as well as to meet with university students and the teaching staff.

In addition to these activities, youngsters will also participate in Portuguese cultural events that will be organised in several areas, including arts, architecture, music, dance, literature, language, history and cuisine. These activities are intended to highlight the socio-cultural aspects of the archipelago.

The Summer Youth Education Camp aims to be a space focused on the strengthening of ties between Luso-American youth, promote a dynamic and collaborative environment as well as the development of essential skills for academic success. It also contributes to the maintenance of Portuguese culture in personal and professional lives of participants.

The Luso-American Education Foundation is a non-profit institution that was founded on June 12, 1963, by a group of citizens of Portuguese descent. The goals of the Foundation are mainly linked to the promotion of Portuguese language and culture in the USA. The organisation of an annual conference on education, which has been held since 1975, the support to Portuguese courses in several U.S. universities and the granting of scholarships are some of the activities developed by this institution.