The Regional Secretary for Science, Technology and Infrastructures stressed in Ponta Delgada on Friday morning the fact that Azorean schools are creating the leaders who, within a short time, will ensure the continued development of the Azores, thereby creating a sustainable environment in a moment when the real economy is highly dependent on scientific solutions.

José Contente spoke at the official opening ceremony of the fair to celebrate World Energy Day, which was held on São Miguel Island on Friday. Several projects were presented at the opening session, including a sail car, a biodiesel car and several engines powered by water, wind and sunlight.

Speaking to the students of the Antero de Quental School, the promoters of various equipments powered by renewable energies in the respective project areas, the Secretary mentioned that “this is the genesis of a spirit which must be spread through the Azorean Society; we need your creativity, your intelligence, so that the Azores may have new projects, in a short time, that will keep up with everything that is taking place in the modern world, in the fields of new technologies and their use and also in renewable energies.”

“It is through projects of this mature that we can later say that scientific projects in the Azores are the basis of the Regional economy. And these examples indicate that the intelligence of our students, as well as the work that is being carried out in schools in favour of scientific activity, is bearing fruits, significant results not only in the transformation of scientific knowledge which is put into practice, but also in the motivation which should endure for the future,” underlined José Contente.

At the opening session of the fair, which was opened to the public at the Pavilhão do Mar in Ponta Delgada in Friday, the Regional Secretary also stressed the important contribution of scientific knowledge, mentioning that this should guide all projects, so that the Regional economy will be based on an environmentally-friendly sustainable model, thus ensuring a more harmonious development.

The Secretary addressed at the students and teachers who attended the session, words of gratitude and of encouragement for the continuity of these projects in schools, while emphasising the importance of this exhibition as a visible display for environmental and sustainability concerns that the youngsters already demonstrate.

Moreover, the Secretary mentioned that “this is why today we should value this exhibition, because it has a wider reach than everything that was done until now, such as the scientific knowledge of students, those who will be the promoters of the development of the Azores within a short time.”

José Contente also gave other examples followed by the Regional Government concerning the adoption of more sustainable measures: “we have carried out the Kyoto Protocol on renewable energies, and we are an example for the country with the use of geothermal energy. It was also announced today that citizens will have new and more incentives for the rationalisation of domestic energy, and this means that there we are making progresses in these matters.” 

On behalf of the Government of the Azores, particularly on behalf of the Scientific and Technological System of the Azores, José Contente praised the initiative that celebrates World Energy Day, considering it a very important activity, as he said “it is always a first step in the creation of a mentality in the Azores, a mentality that increasingly needs to be created, starting in the early stages of school, that is, we all should contribute with scientific solutions for the problems of our time, for which the school is a better means to achieve so, by creating, developing and promoting the scientific culture with practical results in the real economy.”