The Regional Under Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations pointed out today that "the Houses of the Azores and other institutions of the Azorean Diaspora are strategic partners of the Government in the context of the initiatives for the development of regional economy."

Rodrigo Oliveira spoke on the sidelines of an audience, on behalf of the President of the Government, with the participants of the first course for Community Leader of the Azorean Diaspora. In this regard, the government official added that the "Government of the Azores is continuously strengthening the ties of the Region to the Diaspora by providing its main institutions with the effective tools to better promote the Azores and their potential."

They meeting was attended by the Regional Director for Communities, Paulo Teves, as well as by the presidents and representatives of 11 institutions: Houses of the Azores of Canada (Ontario, Quebec and Winnipeg), United States of America (New England and Hilmar), Bermuda and Mainland Portugal (North Region, Lisbon and Algarve), the Portuguese Cultural Centre of Mississauga (Ontario) and the Portuguese Athletic Club of San José (California).

"Given their extensive path in community action, participants in this intensive course know better than anyone the countries and societies that host the Azorean Diaspora. Therefore, they are privileged agents in the dissemination of the Azorean reality, particularly through the promotion of regional products, tourism or business and investment opportunities," said the Regional Secretary.

An initiative of the Presidency of the Government, through the Regional Directorate for Communities, the first course for Community Leaders of the Azorean Diaspora will have a classroom component focused on investment opportunities in the Azores, the Azores Brand, incentive systems and tourism activities. It also includes modules on the History and Autonomy of the Azores.

According to Rodrigo Oliveira, the course comprises "an intensive multidisciplinary and intensive programme, with a very strong component of direct knowledge." It includes visits "to companies in the dairy, horticulture and floriculture sectors, canneries, tourism companies as well as to entrepreneurial projects that are being developing in several areas, from traditional activities to handicrafts and a component of socio-cultural reintegration."

During five day-course, participants will visit also institutions and centres on the islands of São Miguel and Terceira, such as the University of the Azores, the Science and Technology Park - Nonagon, the Contemporary Arts Centre- Arquipélago, the Azores Volcanology and Geothermal Observatory, the Furnas Monitoring and Research and the Serra do Cume Wind Farm.
 
"I would also emphasise also the interdepartmental component in the development of this initiative," stressed Rodrigo Oliveira. The project involved the participation of the Regional Director for Support to Investment and Competitiveness, Ricardo Medeiros, Regional for Tourism, João Bettencourt, the Regional Director for Rural Development, Fátima Amorim, the Regional Director for Culture, Nuno Lopes, the President of SDEA, Arnaldo Machado, and the Director of the Regional Centre for Handicrafts, Sofia Medeiros.

"This is another commitment fulfilled by the Government. In this case, the initiative had already been announced by the President of the Government last year in Hilmar, California. It is primarily intended to enhance the synergies between the Azores and their Diaspora communities in the context of this strategic convergence that is recognised by all, similarly to what we have done earlier this year with the new Internet portal of the World Council of Houses of the Azores," recalled Rodrigo Oliveira.