The Regional Secretary for Education and Culture launched in Lagoa, S. Miguel, a “strong appeal” for all Azorean football associations to work "in unison" towards the creation of "a pan-Azorean sports movement."
 
Avelino Meneses spoke Sunday at the gala celebrating the 95th anniversary of Ponta Delgada Football Association. On the occasion, he expressed his hope that this movement "will definitely contribute to the conversion of the diversity we are into the unity we want to be."
 
"There is no point in discussing in which Azorean island or city the first kick of football took place," stated the government official. According to him, football has achieved prominence in the Azores, after a time when Faial and Terceira were the leading islands in this sport, as a result of the participation of São Miguel in the "most demanding” Portuguese competitive level.
 
In fact, Avelino Meneses mentioned that the Ponta Delgada Football Association “has the highest number of clubs, teams and athletes, being represented in all the amateur championships at island level. This is always the basis of everything: the Azores, which gives a unity so often unreachable, and Portugal, our first and foremost national expression."
 
For the Regional Secretary, this association is also evident in professional competitions, through the participation of Santa Clara football team, which “must honour all Azoreans.”
 
In his speech, Avelino Meneses restated that, regarding sports development policies, the Regional Government has "the sense of mission accomplished, albeit unfinished,” as sport in the Region is an activity of “all and for all."
 
In addition to pursuing an inclusive sports policy and implementing the "Ethics in Sport" project, the Regional Government has already invested more than 30 million Euros in the promotion of sports during this legislative term. Next year, it will allocate around 10 million Euros to the same purpose under the 2020 plan, stated the Regional Secretary.
 
For Avelino Meneses, development of sport “involves considerable support" from the Regional Government, which "is quite significant, even in the national context."
 
Accordingly, sports agents “cannot ignore” the support of the business community and “cannot waste” the projection achieved through sport as far as it is the "most saleable product on the planet."