The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations stated in the United States that the Azoreans living in the Diaspora have reasons to be proud of the Azores and the Azores should show their pride in their Diaspora, highlighting the example of the work and activities developed by Azoreans in Rhode Island.
 
Rui Bettencourt spoke Friday at the Rhode Island State House in Providence at the official celebrations of the Day of Portugal, Camões and Communities. He highlighted the collective mission and action of Azorean organisations in the United States of America, reiterating the importance of young people for the affirmation of the Azorean Diaspora.
 
"Without the young people of the new generations, the Diaspora will not be perpetuated. Let us look at them, let these young people enter the "Great Azorean House," let them feel what they should be, the builders of the Azores," said the government official.
 
Rui Bettencourt pointed out that "the mission to promote the Azores and Portugal outside the archipelago, inherent to the condition to being Azorean, is quite pertinent" and must "be guided by all the potential that the Azoreans represent in the world."
 
In his speech, he defended that each Azorean of the first generation, "who lived the Azores in the archipelago," has as primary mission "to pass on the values, the legacy, the culture, the way of life and the progress of the Azores to the Azoreans of the second and third generations."
 
For the Regional Secretary, this is the only way to "perpetuate who we are and who we want to be, while taking action towards the effective integration of our people in the societies of which they are part," which further enriches communities and honours the Azores and Portugal.
 
The government official considered that the attention, the investment and the care with young people "should be fundamental to our actions" in order to ensure that the Azorean Diaspora may remain "active and dynamic."
 
In this regard, he stressed the need to make young people living outside the archipelago acquainted with "the history and potential of the Region and the Azorean People" so that the young people may feel proud of their roots.
 
Therefore, Rui Bettencourt called for the "commitment and participation" of everyone in the development process of the archipelago and the country, always keeping "our cultural heritage and our traditions alive," as it has happened over the years but also looking for the future.
 
During this visit to the United States of America, the Regional Secretary attended the session to celebrate the Azores at the House of the Azores of New England.
 
In his speech at the ceremony, he also stressed that, "in this new and ever more global world, the Azores have strengths, the most important being their people spread throughout the world, which gives a global dimension to the Region."
 
The programme of Rui Bettencourt's visit to the United States of America, who is accompanied by the Regional Director for Communities, Paulo Teves, also includes the participation in the Waterfire Providence and the Parade of Portugal Day, as part of the June 10 celebrations in Rhode Island, and a meeting with the Board of the House of the Azores of New England.