The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations highlighted in Ponta Delgada the character and personality of Azorean historian and politician José Medeiros Ferreira, recalling his pioneering role in the project of the then EEC, present-day European Union.
 
Rui Bettencourt spoke Monday on the sidelines of the presentation of the 1st volume of "Selected Works of José Medeiros Ferreira: Contemporary Portugal - Political and Institutional History." According to him, he is an Azorean who has also distinguished himself for his thoughts on political affairs, for his attention to youth issues and for his concern with the qualifications of young people."
 
The Secretary for External Relations also considered that Medeiros Ferreira deserves the attention of everyone as an example. On the occasion, he stressed "the example of his political practices, his credibility, his attention to people and his proximity to people," which also make him "an example of the public action that should be emphasised and followed."
 
"For all these reasons, we believe that Professor Medeiros Ferreira deserves our greatest tribute on the fifth anniversary of his death," said Rui Bettencourt. As he highlighted, it is also important to "remind the Azoreans, especially young Azoreans, of the value of this important man who made the European Union grow" and promoted Portugal's accession to the European Union to the then EEC as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
 
In addition to the presentation of Medeiros Ferreira's works by Maria Inácia Rezola at Solmar Bookshop, which was attended by Maria Emília Brederode Santos, the Regional Government paid tribute to this Azorean politician at the "Dialogue with Citizens." The latter event was held at Teatro Micaelense in Ponta Delgada last Monday, the date of the fifth anniversary of his death.
 
On the occasion, two films were screened: one contained archive footage from RTP/Açores highlighting some memorable moments of José Medeiros Ferreira's life; the other featured the testimonies from the Azoreans who attended the College of Europe under the "José Medeiros Ferreira Scholarship" created by the Regional Government for that purpose.