The Regional Director for Communities stressed in Ponta Delgada the importance of the action of Azorean youngsters "in the construction of a fairer just and fraternal solidarity." In this regard, he emphasised their role in "fostering and promoting interculturalism in the community and school."

Speaking at the end of a meeting with a group of students that won the "Azores, Sea of Cultures," Paulo Teves praised the winning work. According to him, "it portrays the reality of cultural diversity in the Azores as well as the different motivations that led immigrants to choose the archipelago as their new home."

For the Regional Director, the quality of the remaining works submitted under this contest by groups of students from Santa Maria, São Miguel, Faial and Pico also demonstrates the "interests of Azorean youngsters in disseminating the existence of multiculturalism in the Region."

The group of students from the School of New Technologies of the Azores composed by Ana Amaral, Olívia Taveira and Tatiana Teves, under the guidance of teacher Pedro Trindade, were the winners of this contest. They presented a video report that portrays the Azores as a space that welcomes diversity and sets aside racial and cultural discrimination.

Having several Azorean scenarios as background, the winning worked focused on the overall context of immigration in the Azores as well as several on aspects regarding the migratory path of immigrants from Brazil, China and Italy, who are currently residing on the island of São Miguel.

The winning team will travel to Lisbon and Geneva from September 11-16. While visiting these cities, they will have the opportunity to visit several international institutions in the area of migration, including the National Immigrant Support Centre and High Commissioner for Migration; both are headquartered in Lisbon. In the Swiss city, students will visit the International Organisation for Migration, where they will be received by the Director General, William Lacy Swing, and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, where they will be received by the Head of Cabinet, Sultan-Khan.

"For the Azorean Government, these initiatives, which fall under intercultural education policies, promote the dissemination of the Azores of today and the development of an active and inclusive citizenship," said Paulo Teves. The government official conveyed his expectations that this trip "will be an enriching experience for a better understanding of this phenomenon, not only from a regional perspective but also from a national and international perspective."

An initiative of the Azorean Government promoted by the Regional Directorate for Cultures, the contest was held under theme of immigration in the Azores. It aimed to encourage young Azorean students to enhance their knowledge on this issue in the Region. The contest emphasised cultural diversity and interculturalism as key factors for the full integration of immigrant communities in the Azorean society by promoting the use of new communication and image technologies.

The initiative was addressed at 10th and 11th form students enrolled at regional school establishments as well as students attending the first two years of level 4 vocational training courses.