The Regional Secretary for Tourism and Transport announced today in Nordeste, São Miguel Island, that the Government of the Azores has opened the tender for the allocation of support to the operation of ICT spaces.

Speaking on the sidelines of a visit to the ICT Space in Achada do Nordeste, Vítor Fraga revealed that the support reaches an overall amount of 600 thousand Euros, which corresponds to "an individual support of 7,500 Euros for each of these spaces."

This measure aims to support the operation of these spaces; it will cover consumables, salaries and the acquisition of the necessary materials for the regular operation of ICT spaces. Eligible institutions may apply until Friday.

For the Regional Secretary, the allocation of financial support is mainly intended to "ensure the operation of these spaces, their revitalisation and the maintenance of jobs."

Vítor Fraga stressed that the Regional Government expects that these financial support measures "will help maintaining nearly 80 jobs," which he considered to be "a significant asset in the context we live in."

According to him, the visit to the ICT Space in Achada do Nordeste "clearly demonstrates the good things that have been accomplished in the Azores in this field and shows once again that we leave no one behind in the Azores."

For Vítor Fraga, these spaces "are also a clear evidence that an activity initially targeted at younger age groups" has become into "an intergenerational space."

In this regard, the government official noted that the Regional Government of the Azores considers that these "initiatives should be continued, encouraged and supported in order to promote their revitalisation, create the conditions to combat digital exclusion and provide all youngsters from the municipality with the opportunity of becoming acquainted with information and communication technologies as well as with the places where these spaces are installed."