The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations stated in Ponta Delgada that future and peace are "two strong symbols of what Europe should be."
 
Rui Bettencourt participated in the creation of a European Christmas Tree with a group of two dozen children attending Kairós Free Time Occupation Centre, pointing out that "children are the future and Christmas is a moment of peace."
 
"There are two goals here," the government official said, highlighting the "educational purpose" of a first moment of dissemination and explanation about what is happening in Europe and the different Christmas celebrations in Europe. Moreover, the activity also included a second moment focusing on the "strong symbolism" associated with the European Union. This event was developed in the context of the "European Citizenship - Europe for the Azoreans" programme, an initiative promoted by the Government of the Azores.
 
On the occasion, the Regional Secretary also helped the children to mail their letters to Santa Clause at the post office as well as two other letters addressed to the President of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, and the Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, "to express this desire for peace and future."
 
Rui Bettencourt also collaborated with the children in the decoration of the European Christmas Tree, which is on display at the post office building at Avenida Antero Quental.
 
The ornaments were created by the children in the context of the activity "Christmas in European Union countries." They symbolise several countries in Europe and the languages spoken in these countries. Participants were encouraged to recycle and reuse various materials for their construction.
 
The government official also visited the exhibition made up of three panels on Christmas traditions in European Union countries, which are also on public display at the same place.