The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations called for the union and mobilisation of the Azorean People in the world, challenging them to embrace new forms of collaboration in the Azorean projects that is being developed.
 
Rui Bettencourt spoke Friday on behalf of the President of the Government during the celebrations of the 91st anniversary of the House of the Azores in Lisbon. On the occasion, he stressed that we "welcome everyone with their own ways of doing things."
 
"We are living in new times, the ease of communications, the ease of travelling to the Azores and the ease of communicating with family and friends, not the difficulties experienced 91 years ago," stressed the government official. In this context, he pointed out the existence of "very important challenges that require the mobilisation of all Azoreans around the world."
 
The Secretary for External Relations highlighted the "potentialities of the Azoreans living around the world," accounting for more than one million. As revealed, "for every 100 Azores living in the archipelago, there are, at least, 400 worldwide. This allows us "to mobilise skills, wishes and purposes of all Azoreans around the world."
 
For the Regional Secretary, the Azorean Government is "the government of all the Azoreans in the archipelago," but is also "the government of all Azoreans all over the world, who account for more than a million."
 
In this regard, he stressed that the Houses of the Azores play a "very important" role in linking the civil society to the Regional Government. They act as a "mirror" of the Azoreans living in the territories where they are located and where the need for mobilisation is "fundamental."
 
On the occasion, the Regional Secretary also left a message of public recognition about the important of the House of the Azores in Lisbon. He highlighted the work it has developed and the important role it has played "as a tutor and as the eldest sister of the other Houses of the Azores that have been created throughout the world" by showing the way and by a "reference for several Houses of the Azores."
 
For Rui Bettencourt, the celebration of the 91st anniversary of the House of the Azores of Lisbon also has "a very important meaning. Although the Houses of the Azores in the world are very different from each other, Lisbon has very specific characteristics." In this context, he stressed the fact that it is the oldest and that its actions and public activities developed over 91 years "are still relevant today." It has welcomed, advised and helped many Azoreans, promoting the meeting of Azoreans and friends of the Azores.
 
Founded on March 27, 1927, the House of the Azores of Lisbon is the oldest of 15 Houses of the Azores throughout the world, the newest one being Bermuda; it was founded in 2015.