The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations invited all Azorean in the Diaspora to be "ambassadors of the Azores," wherever they may be, thus becoming a promoter of the Azorean project.
 
Speaking Wednesday in Ponta Delgada at the launch of the book "Açores no Mundo" (Azores in the World) by José Andrade, Rui Bettencourt stressed that, in addition to feeling full-fledged Azoreans and exemplary citizens of the world, they should also feel "as builders of the future of the Azores and promoters of the Azorean project."
 
In his speech, the government official also urged the Houses of the Azores to take up "a fundamental mission for the Region," playing a major role in the projection of the Azores in the world.
 
This mission will be "stronger, legitimate and secure" if the Houses of the Azores become "increasingly" aware of the role they should play in the promotion of the Region," emphasised Rui Bettencourt.
 
"Houses of the Azores must assume that this implies working with all Azoreans - all - particularly the younger ones," said the Regional Secretary.
 
According to Rui Bettencourt, the Houses of the Azores must now play "an increasingly intense role in promoting the Azores abroad" and be "effective and permanent agents of our collective future," while maintaining their mission to "remember the Azores, pass on our values, share our history and our soul and disseminate who we are.”
 
"The Azores are all over the world through their Diaspora," Rui Bettencourt said, adding that this led the Regional Government to "compulsorily refocus" its policy for External Relations in their communities.
 
"The Azores are all over the place, as long as there are Azoreans there," said the Regional Secretary. According to him, the title of the book now released is "remarkable" as Azorean communities confer "a worldwide dimension to the Azores."