The Regional Under Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations announced today that the Government of the Azores will create an Award for Inclusive Good Practices. The award is support the integration of immigrants and the promotion of interculturalism."

Speaking at the beginning of a meeting of the Regional Advisory Council for Immigration Affairs (CCRAI), Rodrigo Oliveira stressed that this is one of the proposals that will be under debate with all institutions working with immigrants. According to him, this initiative is the result of "the Government's goal to develop a relation based on proximity with all those who contribute to the effective integration of immigrants."

The meeting of CCRAI intends to assess the activities that have been developed by this body, with special emphasis on the search for useful tools for immigrants such Portuguese Language courses, and to plan the initiatives to be carried out last year, always in a strong spirit of partnership and respect for the different cultural values.

The Regional Under Secretary stressed that the Government is aware of the challenges that each immigrant community faces in the host community of each island. Hence, nearly 2/3 of the volume of investment in the area of Immigration is intended to support initiatives developed by organisations working in the field as well as individuals who promote initiatives addressing interculturalism and the integration of immigrants."

Rodrigo Oliveira reiterated that the Azores are proud to be a Region that welcomes immigrants, pointing out that "the Azorean people know, throughout their migratory journey, the importance of welcoming immigrants and respecting their cultural values."

Currently, there are 3,600 foreign citizens from 75 nationalities residing in the Azores, which evidences that the Azores welcome all those who have chosen the archipelago to live and work.