The Under Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations said on Monday in Ponta Delgada that the Government "praises of all those who have chosen the Azores to work and live as well as their major contribution to the progress of the Region."

Rodrigo Oliveira made this statement at the opening of the Portuguese Language Course for Immigrants that began on Monday in Ponta Delgada and will be also held in Angra do Heroísmo. A total of 40 immigrants have enrolled in the first edition of the course.

According to him, the Government's initiative aims "to meet the specific needs of the immigrant community in the Azores" by promoting training courses after working hours, "which consists of 150 hours of learning Portuguese." The course allows the certification of the knowledge on the Portuguese Language for the acquisition of nationality, permanent residence or the authorisation for long-term residence."

Rodrigo Oliveira stressed that "the completion of this course allows citizens to obtain the A2 level of language proficiency. The course meets the requirements for the assessment exams of Portuguese Language, provided in the Portuguese Nationality Rules and the legal scheme on the entry, permanence, exit and removal of foreigners into and out of the national territory."

However, the Regional Under Secretary mentioned that the goal of integrating immigrants "does not mean that we seek to achieve homogeneity in cultural manifestations or the dilution of various national identities." The Government considers that differentiation is an essential quality of contemporary societies and integration does not erase differences, but it rather acknowledges the value of diversity."

"Above all, we know that immigrants - and there are over 80 nationalities in the Azores - can better communicate among themselves and with Portuguese citizens through the Portuguese Language, thus building bridges to social integration and a mutual understanding of differences and similarities," stressed Rodrigo Oliveira.

In this context, the government official defended that "by knowing each other better - all communities - and using the Portuguese Language to communicate, we are certainly contributing to the consolidation of an increasingly inclusive, solidarity and friendly society."

Moreover, the Regional Under Secretary stated that with the promotion of this initiative under the European Year of Citizens, celebrated in 2013, the Regional Government "decisively contributes to the integration of foreign citizens residing in the Regional by encouraging their personal fulfilment and equality of rights."
 
With regard to this project, the Government has established partnerships with CRESAÇOR - Regional Cooperative for Solidarity Economy on São Miguel and AIPA - Azores Immigrant Association on Terceira. The two Portuguese Language courses are attended by a total of 40 immigrants from Pakistan, Romania, Ukraine, Lithuania, Bangladesh, China, India, United States, Cape Verde and Guinea.