The Regional Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations, Rui Bettencourt, will participate in the First World Congress of Portuguese Diaspora Networks to take place Saturday in Porto.
 
The Regional Government's participation in this meeting intends to convey the importance of the Azorean Diaspora nationwide. This is also an opportunity to express its satisfaction at the reinforcement of the main goals of its action as well as the work that has been done in the Region, with an increasing recognition of the diaspora and the development of networking strategy in coordination with public structures.
 
Held under the motto "Towards a shared strategic vision," the initiative aims to bring together and promote the interaction of representatives of the Portuguese Diaspora Networks as active agents in the communities of host countries and in the communities of origin.
 
Therefore, it is intended to promote a comprehensive reflection on the work that has been done and to adopt a forward-looking approach by reinforcing contact networks and mutual support of various diaspora groups.
 
Recognising and disseminating the value of several diaspora networks in all their geographic spaces and institutional formats and acknowledging their role in Portugal's integration in the world are other goals of this event. It brings together diaspora representatives from various areas, namely associations, elected representatives of Portuguese descent, community councillors, the media, entrepreneurs and academics.
 
The opening session will be attended by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the Prime Minister, António Costa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Augusto Santos Silva, the Mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira, and the President of the Portuguese Chartered Accountants Association, Paula Franco.
 
The opening conference will be delivered by Archbishop Tolentino de Mendonça, head of the Vatican Library and poet.
 
The second part of the Congress, which takes place during the afternoon, features a series of thematic panels on the Portuguese diaspora network, with special emphasis on associations, science and knowledge, economics and development, citizenship, local support and the media.
 
The meeting will close with the speeches delivered by the President of the Assembly of the Republic, Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, the Secretary of State of Portuguese Communities, José Luis Carneiro, and the Director-General for Consular Affairs and Portuguese Communities, Júlio Vilela.
 
The event is organised by the Secretary of State of Portuguese Communities and the Directorate-General for Consular Affairs and Portuguese Communities with the support of Porto City Council and the Portuguese Chartered Accountants Association.