The Municipality of Velas, on São Jorge Island, will host the Third Intercultural Forum of European Islands today and tomorrow. The theme is “Challenges and Proposals: Opportunities and Disadvantages.”
The event is organized by the Eurinsula association, as part of the Islasdel Mar project, in collaboration with the Association of Municipalities of the Autonomous Region of the Azores (AMRAA) and the University of Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy.
According to the organization, the forum is “a unique opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities currently facing European islands.”
Topics such as cooperation and internationalization, insularity and identity, transportation, intercultural and sustainable tourism, and energy transition will be discussed in thematic round tables, meetings, and moments of multilateral dialogue, bringing together institutional representatives, academics, artists, professionals, and citizens.

Program
The meeting, which will take place at the Municipal Auditorium of Velas and the Cunha da Silveira House Museum, kicks off today with a round table on internationalization and cooperation, followed by a round table on energy transition and transportation.
Tomorrow, the meeting will begin with a round table entitled “The European Union: What future for island regions?”, followed by a round table on sustainability and tourism and another on territory and identity.
Mayors, university professors, and representatives from various institutions in Malta, Corsica (France), the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Tenerife (Spain), Sardinia, Sicily (Italy), Ukraine, Puerto Rico (United States of America), and Finland will attend the forum.
The organizing committee is composed of Alexandre Gaudêncio, president of the Association of Municipalities of the Autonomous Region of the Azores; Luís Silveira, mayor of Velas; Nuno Martins, director of communication and tourism promotion at VisitAzores; Stefano Matta, professor at the University of Cagliari; and Isabel Vera Santiago, president of Eurinsula and founder of the Islasdel Mar Project.
The scientific committee includes Mariangela Albano, from the University of Cagliari; Martino Contu, Secretary of the Consular Corps of Sardinia; Susana Goulart Costa, from the University of the Azores; Fabien Landron, from the University of Corsica Pasquale Paoli; Stefano Matta, from the University of Cagliari; Sébastien Quenot, from the University of Corsica Pasquale Paoli; José Antonio Ramos Arteaga, from the University of La Laguna; Joana Maria Seguí Pons, from the University of the Balearic Islands; Dumenica Verdoni, from the University of Corsica Pasquale Paoli; and Daniela Zizi, from the University of Cagliari.

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.