The Under Secretary for European Affairs and External Cooperation announced on Pico Island yesterday the launch of the second edition of the photography contest about the Azores in the European context “in an edition also addressed at the tourists that visit our islands.”
“This competition, which will take place during 2010, is one the Government’s initiatives associated to the programme of the European region of the Year, thus stimulating those who visit us to reflect and identify, through their lens, the singularities, potentialities and assets of the Azores in an European context,” stated Rodrigo Oliveira.
The Under Secretary spoke at the launch of the photographic exhibition titled as “Global Challenges, European Solutions: an Azorean vision” (Desafios Globais, Soluções Europeias: uma visão açoriana) that was held at the Pico Youth Hostel, integrated in the Azorean participation at the Open Days 2009 as well as in the regional programme for the European Year of Innovation and Creativity.
The publication – as well as the recently opened exhibition – brings together the 40 best photographs, selected among 400 works by fifty amateur photographers, which we were submitted to the “Global Challenges, European Solutions - an Azorean vision” competition, an initiative of the Azorean Government in a partnership with the Association of Amateur Photographers of the Azores. 
Moreover, Rodrigo Oliveira stated at the ceremony that “the high quality and creativity of the displayed photographs combined with the respective themes – that call on the reflection on our place and role in the European and world context – indicate that the present publication is one of the Azorean “visiting cards” during the events and initiatives that will take place in the next year under the European Region of the Year 2010.”
The “Global Challenges, European Solutions - an Azorean vision” exhibition will be open to the public at the Sala Multiusos (Multipurpose Room) of the Pico Youth Hostel in S. Roque until October 31. It may be visited during the week between 7 PM and 10 PM and on weekends from 2 PM to 10 PM.