The Regional Director for Youth highlighted in Ponta Delgada the importance making a commitment with moral principles that respect the difference of the other.

Pilar Damião spoke Wednesday at the opening of the exhibition held under the
"Artisocial" contest, an initiative included in the project "Before you Discriminate me, Know me!" In this regard, the government official stressed that the fight against intolerance and social exclusion is "the only way to achieve a cosmopolitan morality that seems to be threatened in today's Europe by rising xenophobia, the false menace of potential enemies and the lightness of the indifference of others."

The project "Before you Discriminate me, Know me!" is an initiative developed the Azorean Government, through the Regional Directorates for Social Solidarity, Education and Youth, in partnership with CIPA - Novo Dia Association. It has "fostered the awareness of young people for the fight against discriminations, domestic violence and bullying," stressed the Regional Director.

"The recognition of equality, the promotion of tolerance and the acceptance of the difference are key values for the future of a region where human dignity goes beyond exclusion and selfishness of schizophrenia," said Pilar Damião.

The third edition of "Before you discriminate me, know me!" began in April with the "Roadmap for Equality" and involved about 7,600 young people in awareness raising activities and visits to the "Space of Equality."

The project, which was expanded this year to the student community, was implemented in 28 Azorean schools.

This initiative is developed into several phases, with activities such as equality roadmap, theatre workshops, a regional artistic creation contest and the exhibition of the works selected in the context of this context.

Directed at young people, the "Artisocial" contest is an initiative designed to encourage artistic creation under the theme of equality, multiple discrimination and domestic violence in the areas of visual arts (painting, drawing, comic book or poster) literature and photography.

With about 30 works in competition, six were selected to be displayed in the exhibition that is open until September 30 at the Azores Social Solidarity Institute in Ponta Delgada.