The Regional Director for Youth revealed in Ponta Delgada that "everything is ready" for the implementation of the Youth Participatory Budget of the Azores in 2018.
 
"In 2017, the Government of the Azores has carried out all the procedures for the implementation of the Youth Participatory Budget, as stated in the Programme of the Government, and everything is in order to implement this model of civic participation in 2018," said Lúcio Rodrigues.
 
The Regional Director spoke Monday on the sidelines of a session to promote the Portuguese Youth Participatory Budget, promoted by the National Government, which involved the participation of about 40 young Azoreans.
 
Lúcio Rodrigues expressed the belief that the "implementation of the Youth Participatory Budget of the Azores is another step towards the encouragement of active citizenship among young people."         
 
"When we defend civic participation, above all, we want to implement it and the participatory budget is one way to achieve it. Of course, when it comes to young people, we want them to move forward with their ideas and their projects. It is something that we have defended since the beginning of this legislative period," said the government official.
 
The Regional Director for Youth said "this initiative will go through many areas, from youth, public facilities, nature and tourism, among other innovative projects," defending that "we can only affirm and differentiate ourselves for the creativity and innovation of young people."
 
Lúcio Rodrigues also drew a parallel between the participatory budget model and the project for Entrepreneurial Education, a "seven-year old project implemented in the Azores with the aim to instil in young people a critical sense of entrepreneurship and leadership to bring the Azores forward."