The President of the Assembleia Legislativa da Região Autónoma dos Açores, Luís Garcia, welcomed the Azorean Parliament’s third-place distinction at the Conferência das Assembleias Legislativas Regionais da Europa (CALRE) Awards 2025, granted to the initiative “Azores with a Future,” according to a statement sent to newsrooms.

The announcement was made today during the CALRE Plenary Assembly.

The award recognized “Azores with a Future,” a traveling initiative that visited every island in the archipelago to meet and amplify the voices of young people whose talent and entrepreneurial drive are actively shaping the Azores’ development. The project shared third place with the Parliament of Belgium’s German-speaking Community, reflecting the high quality of both submissions. Judges praised the Azorean initiative for its ability to bridge the Parliament with younger generations.

At the Plenary Assembly—held following the meeting of the Standing Committee—the Azorean Parliament also confirmed its willingness to extend for another year its coordination of the Working Group on “Democracy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” The group will continue to focus on emerging technologies, data governance, and cybersecurity, with the goal of developing recommendations that strengthen participatory democracy and counter disinformation across Europe.

Delegates unanimously underscored the importance of establishing a permanent CALRE headquarters in Brussels. The proposal, already formally communicated to the Committee of the Regions, is seen by member parliaments as a crucial step toward improving institutional coordination and increasing regional influence within European decision-making bodies.

The meeting also marked the re-election of Astrid Pérez, President of the Parlamento das Canárias, to a new term at the helm of CALRE. President Luís Garcia congratulated his counterpart, praising her work over the past year and the continuity of a leadership committed to regional cohesion.

CALRE brings together 72 presidents of Europe’s regional legislative assemblies. Its Standing Committee includes representatives from regional parliaments in Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom (Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland), Portugal (the Azores and Madeira), and Finland, with the aim of strengthening cooperation among Europe’s regional parliaments in defense of democratic values and regional autonomy.

In Correio dos Açores-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.