Training for the Freguesias, 2025

The meeting room at the Cunha da Silveira House Museum hosted a training session for the Freguesias, organized by the Regional Directorate for Cooperation with Local Government, with logistical support from the municipal authorities.

Aimed at locally elected officials, administrative staff of the Parish Councils and the Municipality, the session included a presentation of the Legal Framework for Technical and Financial Cooperation between the Autonomous Regional Administration and the Freguesias and Associations of Freguesias of the Azores, as well as an introduction to the new Local Government Portal.

The Mayor of Velas attended the session’s closing, underscoring the vital role of Parish Councils in improving the population’s quality of life, as they represent the level of governance closest to the community.

Catarina Cabeceiras commended the Regional Executive for its approach to remaining closer to the Freguesias, a clear sign of the value it places on local government. She highlighted that forthcoming investments in the Freguesias will play an important role in enhancing residents’ quality of life.

The Mayor also took the opportunity to urge locally elected parish officials to make full use of the mechanisms available to them to invest in their communities, while reaffirming that the Municipal Council remains, as it always has, ready and available to support the Parish Councils.

From Municipality Press Release

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.