The Vice-President of the Regional Government, Artur Lima, highlighted the centrality of the Azores in Europe at the IV Regional Meeting of European Clubs, held yesterday in Angra do Heroísmo.
Artur Lima stressed that “the region’s remoteness should not be synonymous with political, cultural and economic isolation” and exemplified the Azores’ importance as a “link between continents.”
“Our geostrategic position and our history make us protagonists in the dialog between countries. The Azores were crucial to the Allied victory in World War II and have been a guarantor of peace on the European continent for many decades,” he said.
The vice-president of the Government stressed that “the Azores have been, and continue to be, very important for collective European security”, so that “political decision-makers in Brussels cannot forget, nor neglect, the importance that our Region has as Europe’s Atlantic frontier”.
The statements were made during the opening session of the IV Regional Meeting of European Clubs, which took place at the Palácio dos Capitães-Generais in Angra do Heroísmo.


The event, promoted by the Regional Government, brought together teachers responsible for the European Clubs active in the region. The aim was to share experiences and promote a greater European spirit of active citizenship among young people and the school community.
For Artur Lima, “the European Clubs are more than an educational initiative, they are laboratories of active citizenship, where people learn, debate and live the dual identity of the Azores and Europe.”
“In these clubs, young Azoreans discover their role in the European Union and understand that, despite being an outermost region, the Azores have a voice, strength and a future,” he said.
The Azores have 23 European clubs registered with the National Club Network this school year.
European clubs can be set up in pre-school, primary, secondary, or vocational education establishments and adapted to the school and community context in which they operate.
The Regional Meetings of European Clubs, promoted by the Regional Government, allow the coordinating teachers to “provide a moment of work and reflection on the activities of the European Clubs in the Region and encourage the exchange of experiences and good practices between the participants.”

in Diário Insular, José Lourenço-director (Photos from the office of the VP)

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.