The Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Paulo Estêvão, said today that the International Network of Social Service Organizations in the Azores and the Diaspora, whose constitution protocol was signed today by around two dozen entities, represents a “historic moment” for the Azores and their communities.

“We are facing an unprecedented situation. The latest figures from the Portuguese government show that the country has one and a half million immigrants. This is a very significant increase. A country of emigrants has become a country that welcomes. At the same time, we still have a very significant emigrant population. It’s a unique situation,” he said, speaking in Ponta Delgada at the closing session of an international seminar dedicated to creating the Network.

For the Regional Secretary responsible for communities, “this extraordinary and historic situation raises challenges for the country” and the Azores.

“There is a recent situation that has to do with the emigration policy of the new US administration. At the moment, taking into account not exactly the actions in relation to the Portuguese community, but above all the discourse, there is no higher than normal number of deportations, this situation has not happened. If there is a significant number of Azoreans returning at the moment, it’s a voluntary return that has to do with the impact of the [US] administration’s discourse and the fear that this discourse may have practical consequences,” he pointed out.

Paulo Estêvão also recalled the current war conflicts, recognizing that it is “very difficult to plan anything”, and giving examples such as export figures or macroeconomic indicators.

“What we are doing here is counter-current: bringing together a group of regional and diaspora institutions, in the field of social services, to share knowledge and do more together,” he stressed, contrasting this idea with the political and economic protectionism of some democracies.

“This MOU is important because we’re all here in the spirit of helping, so that we can have ever broader social support that can reach more people. I’m truly impressed by the work of all these institutions,” he said, after attending the presentation of the activities of various diaspora organizations and partners in this cooperation project.

The International Network of Social Service Organizations in the Azores brings together associations and/or other organizations that carry out social activities with the Azorean communities in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, in which the Regional Directorate for Communities plays a promoting and coordinating role.

The entity aims, among other things, to promote the exchange of permanent information, to promote a set of socio-cultural support responses that, through cooperation between different entities, contribute to the effective integration of Azorean emigrants and Azoreans returning to the Region, or to integrate the immediate environment, family and community of the emigrant and returned emigrant into the social intervention action, whenever possible.

Making the most of resources and strategies, avoiding inefficient duplication of interventions and improving structured and articulated responses, laying the foundations for a permanent process of inter-institutional cooperation at local, regional, national and transnational level and promoting studies and diagnoses that allow for a deeper understanding of the reality and a permanent adaptation of the intervention of the various players are also objectives of the Network.

The event in Ponta Delgada was organized by the Regional Directorate of the Azorean Communities, under the direction of José Andrade.

From press release

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.