The Azores are achieving, with the ESA station, a central place in the Atlantic which progressively eradicating the notion of remoteness by means of space technology, through which the Region has played a central role in the Atlantic as result of its geostrategic position .

This was how the Regional Secretary for Science, Technology and Infrastructures addressed the importance and context of the regional contest “You and Space,” which is addressed to all secondary schools of the Azores. The prizes were presented delivered in Ponta Delgada on Tuesday.

For José Contente, who congratulated the participants, schools and the winners, this is a contest that aims to bring youngsters closer to a high-end area which is rapidly developing in the Region - space technology and its full potential - “as we also to bring the Azores closer to modernity.”

“We have followed long path in this area, starting with the ESA project on Santa Maria. We are also the only region in Portugal that uses space technology, with the dimension of the European Space Agency and we want to stimulate and create new levels of development where new technologies, including space, may also find their place in the Region,” stressed the Regional Secretary. 

He also defended the existence of such initiatives, claiming that “it is important to disseminate this contest at schools so that they may encourage the students’ interest in other professional areas and, thus, raising the youngsters’ awareness for the fact that the Azores is not a region that only lives on tourism and agriculture and that they will also find opportunities in this area.”

In this context, José Contente reinforced the urged students and teachers profession to involve in space projects and initiatives in order to increase the number of Azoreans interested in scientific space research.

“We are founding the basis for supporting science and, therefore, we need training, qualification, motivated and committed people, teachers who have that vision, and schools working in this area so that we may bring new opportunities for the Azores, new challenges for the Region, enhancing in its innovation capacity as well as its proactiveness,” added the Regional Secretary.

The regional contest “You and Space,” organised by the Pej Azores Association - European Youth Parliament Association - Azores, aimed to raise the awareness of youngsters for space technology. In this contest, youngsters developed ideas on the theme “Using space technology to benefit the development of the Azores.”

Students became better acquainted with the potentialities of the Azores in this area through presidential sessions at secondary schools, videos, conversations with sea, territory and atmosphere experts and the presentation of a diversity of products and services developed by space technology.

After the presentation of the eleven final works, the first prize was delivered to 
 João Gomes, from the Antero Quental Secondary School, who won a trip to ESA headquarters in Paris, the second prize to Gloria Toste, from the same school, who will visit the headquarters of Edisoft and the third prize to Mariana Rodrigues, from Madalena do Pico Secondary School, who will visit ESA station on Santa Maria.