The Regional Under Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations pointed out today that "Autonomy has rekindled the fraternal ties between the Azores and their Diaspora and helped building, over the last 40 years, a relation of proximity, respect and affectivity between the Region and Azorean Communities."
 
Rodrigo Oliveira spoke on behalf of the President of the Government at the meeting of the Council of Portuguese Communities. The government official stressed that "the action that Region's government bodies has promoted the Azores Diaspora as an important asset that, through the 'Azoreanity' built over almost six centuries of History, not only values the Azores but also the whole country, projecting it across the Atlantic, more specifically to North and South America."
 
In his speech, Rodrigo Oliveira stressed the symbolism of this meeting since it will be held in the National Assembly and in the month that marks the 40th anniversary of the Portuguese Constitution. The government official added that "one of the greatest successes of Democracy in Portugal and the Autonomy in the Azores was precisely the fact that it stopped mass emigration as the only way of survival and improvement of the living conditions for thousands of people."
 
The Regional Under Secretary welcomed the Azorean members of the council João Pacheco and Nelson Ponta-Garça (USA) as well as members of the council from other countries that host the Azorean Diaspora. In this regard, the government official praised the "recognition and institutional importance of the Azores" that was demonstrated by the current National Government and the Secretary of State for Communities, José Luís Carneiro. According to him, "this is the first time that the Regional Government are invited to take part in the Plenary session of the Council of Portuguese Communities."
 
Similarly, he also stressed the presence and the invitation sent of the World Council of Houses of the Azores, at the proposal of the Regional Government, insofar as "they are embassies of the Azores in the Diaspora." This institution was represented at the event by the president of the House of the Azores of Lisbon, Miguel Loureiro.
 
Moreover, the Regional Under Secretary also emphasised the various dimensions of the work developed by the Regional Directorate for Communities, "such as the initiatives, partnerships with several institutions from the Diaspora and the support granted to the areas of culture, teaching of Portuguese, social issues, the promotion of the Azores of today and the ties to young people in the Diaspora. In this regard, the government official highlighted "all the work carried out by the 15 Houses of the Azores in USA, Canada, Bermuda, Brazil, Uruguay and Mainland Portugal."
 
Rodrigo Oliveira concluded his speech by asking the members of the council to "send a hug from the Azores to all Portuguese communities around the world."
 
An advisory body to the National Government for policies related to the Portuguese Diaspora, the Council of Portuguese Communities is composed of a maximum of 80 members, who are elected by national citizens living abroad.