The Autonomous Region of the Azores, through the Regional Directorate for Culture, joins the celebrations of the European Heritage Days 2017. This year's edition will be held under the theme Heritage and Nature with a programme of activities to be carried out on September 21, 22, 23 and 24.
 
In this context, the Carlos Machado Museum promotes several initiatives that will be held in Ponta Delgada on September 21, Sete Cidade on September 22 and 23, and in Fenais da Luz on September 24. On September 21, Thursday, the 9500 Film Club will host the public presentation of the short film by André Laranjinha entitled "Stone Walls" at 9:30 PM; admission is free.
 
A co-production of Alice's House and Carlos Machado Museum, this short film is a subjective look at the art of building in stone, both from a perspective of human endeavour and ingenuity and from the material essence of stones, which is also the essence of the island itself.
 
On the following day, September 22, there will be a manual harvest of tea in Seara tea plantation in Sete Cidades between 10.30 AM and 4 PM. In the beginning of the 20th century, probably around 1920, there was a black tea production unit, Seara Tea. It was located in the property owned by the heirs of José Maria Álvares Cabral (1911-1989) known as Seara. Even today the building where this small product unit was once installed still exists as well as a few dozen tea shrubs (Camellia sinensis), which are in danger of disappearing.
 
In the first stage, participants will begin to collect the tea manually and, then, wither the leaves. This activity is addressed to the public in general and subject to prior registration and to the payment of a fee. Participants will meet in Seara tea plantation in Sete Cidades, where the activity will take place.
 
On Saturday, September 23, the programme includes a Seara tea - Sete Cidades production workshop to be held between 10:30 AM and 5 PM. After the harvesting of tea and the withering of leaves, the process includes the manual rolling, oxidation and drying of tea leaves. It will be followed by the selection and respective packaging of tea. The activity ends with the tasting of tea, which will take place at Eco-Atlântida shop.
 
Addressed to the public in general, this activity is subject to prior registration and to the payment of fees. For further information and registrations, those who are interested should contact the PCI team of Carlos Machado Museum by telephone 296202930 or at the email [email protected]. Both activities are organised in partnership with the Parish Council of Sete Cidades, Cresaçor, the heirs of José Maria Álvares Cabral and the Agrarian Development Services of São Miguel Island.
 
On September 24, the programme features a Heritage Route that will take place in Fenais da Luz from 3 to 6 PM. The pedestrian route begins next to São Pedro Chapel and ends with a guided tour to Fenais da Luz Museum Centre. Participants in this initiative will have the opportunity to know and enjoy the natural landscape of the coastal area, among other significant aspects of the village's heritage. The activity is free, but subject to prior registration.
 
Moreover, the Santa Maria Museum presents an exhibition titled as "Monuments and Nature" between September 22 and 24. It is addressed to the public in general and highlights aspects of the alliance between the natural world and the built heritage, sometimes integrated in landscapes with human intervention.
 
The Angra do Heroísmo Museum also joins this celebration with a workshop on Vegetable Dying guided by Guida Fonseca to take place on September 23. This activity will recall the importance of the export of woad and orchella weed in the Azorean economy in the 15th and 16th centuries. It will explain the basic principles of traditional dyeing with vegetable dyes and includes with plant dyes using different natural fibres.
 
The activity is open to 15 adult participants upon registration.
 
In turn, the Graciosa Museum organises "The Museum goes to School," an activity that will include the photography exhibition entitled "The Feast of the Divine Holy Spirit on Graciosa Island" on September 22 between 9:30 AM and 12:30 PM. It is directed to middle school and junior high school students.
 
Also on September 22, the Francisco Lacerda Museum will organise activity for the collection and identification of seeds that is intended for preschool, elementary and middle school students. In this workshop, participants will know the seeds used locally - find out where they come from, what they produce, when they are sown - by those who still keep from year to year. The activity aims to promote the contact with nature as well as to raise awareness for the importance of local seeds, the complex history they contain and to different manifestations of our heritage.
 
On the following day, September 23, there will be an Outdoor Drawing Workshop taking place in several places in the village of Calheta. It is addressed to young people over 12 years and adults. The second workshop promoted by the Museum proposes a walk through the village and the creation of drawings that portray stories of São Jorge heritage.
 
The Pico Museum will host the initiative for preschool children entitled "Heritage and Nature: let's watch whales!" at the Whaling Museum on September 22.
 
On September 23, the Flores Museum organises a pedestrian route to Tapada das Ovelhas, located in Fazenda de Santa Cruz, the last stronghold of sheep breading on the island of Flores.
 
According to the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage, the theme of the European Heritage Days 2017 aims to draw attention to the importance of the relations between people, communities, places and their history, showing how heritage and nature intersect in their different manifestations, either urban or rural. Moreover, it intends to call for the need to preserve and value this relation, which is fundamental to the quality of life, the improvement of the territory and the strengthening of identities.
 
The Regional Directorate for Culture informs that this and other events may be consulted in the Cultural Agenda of the CulturAçores Portal at the following address: www.culturacores.azores.gov.pt.