The Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD) marks the 30th anniversary of the Cooperation and Defense Agreement between Portugal and the US and the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II on September 18 and 19 with an international conference that will bring together policy makers, academics, and experts at the Youth and Arts Academy to discuss the future of transatlantic relations. Organized by the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD) as part of its 40th anniversary celebrations, the event will take place at the Youth and Arts Academy in Praia da Vitória. It will bring together experts to reflect on the geopolitical and geoeconomic role of the Azores as a platform for cooperation. The initiative presents an opportunity for dialogue centered on the Azores’ role as an Atlantic platform for science, innovation, sustainability, and security.

After the opening ceremony, which will feature Vânia Ferreira, Mayor of Praia da Vitória, Nuno Morais Sarmento, President of FLAD, and José Manuel Bolieiro, President of the Azores Government, the first day will highlight panels dedicated to the history and challenges of transatlantic cooperation. Paulo Portas, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, will give the opening lecture on the 18th, and Fernando Alexandre, Minister of Education and Science, will open the proceedings on the 19th. In addition to the inaugural lecture, Paulo Portas will also participate in the roundtable discussion on “30 Years of Luso-American Cooperation” alongside Jack Martins, New York State Senator, and Rita Rico, US Consul in Ponta Delgada. The day will also feature an analysis of transatlantic relations by Ian Lesser of the German Marshall Fund, the launch of the ‘Coast to Coast’ collection in a panel on diaspora and literature, and a lecture by Paulo Vizeu Pinheiro, Permanent Representative of Portugal to NATO, and the opening of the exhibition ‘80 Years of the Lajes Base’.

The second day of the conference will begin with a welcome from Michael Baum, Administrator of FLAD, followed by an opening session led by Fernando Alexandre, Minister of Education, Science, and Innovation, and thematic panels on “Ocean,” “Critical Infrastructure,” and “Space,” which will bring together experts from institutions such as the University of the Azores, Sciences Po Paris, the University of Beira Interior, and the Portuguese Space Agency. – Cidade dos Açores, Sciences Po Paris, Universidade da Beira Interior, e Agência Espacial Portuguesa. Also noteworthy is the session with the winners of the Atlantic Security Award, Science Award, and Junior Award. The closing session will be attended by Nuno Morais Sarmento and José Manuel Bolieiro, who will join Marcos Perestrello, Vice-President of the Assembly of the Republic. “In a year of historic milestones for transatlantic relations and for FLAD, this conference takes on a very special meaning,” says Nuno Morais Sarmento, President of FLAD. “We want to look at the Azores as a nerve center for the future of cooperation in vital areas such as security, ocean science, and space exploration. It is the ideal platform to project the next 40 years of our friendship and alliance.“

”At this conference, which will take place in Praia da Vitória, we will discuss science, innovation, sustainability, and security so that, together, we can tell our story in a rigorous but also shared way,” says Vânia Ferreira, Mayor of Praia da Vitória, reaffirming her pride in hosting the Lajes International Conference. “The Lajes base represents a historic foundation for the relationship between Portugal and the United States. A transatlantic friendship that is perpetuated through FLAD, which, over the last four decades, has been promoting this mission.” Admission to the conference is free, subject to space availability. The celebrations of FLAD’s 40th anniversary will continue after the conference, crossing the Atlantic for their closing ceremony in the United States. This year of celebrations will culminate in New York with the presentation of the concert “Amália – Beyond Fado” at the iconic Carnegie Hall, bringing Portuguese culture to one of the most emblematic stages in the world.

In Atlântico Expresso, Natalino Viveiros, director

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