The Câmara Municipal de Angra do Heroísmo is implementing an educational initiative during the 2025–2026 academic year aimed at introducing younger generations to the meaning and history of Azorean autonomy through a project titled “50 Years of Freedom – Autonomy for the New Generations.”

Developed in partnership with schools across the municipality that chose to participate, the program includes educational workshops directed at students in the first and second cycles of basic education, with the objective of fostering a deeper understanding of the political and administrative autonomy of the Azores.

The initiative coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of regional autonomy, a milestone that reshaped the modern political identity of the archipelago following Portugal’s democratic transition after the Carnation Revolution.

According to the municipality, the project seeks to bring younger students closer to essential concepts tied to democracy, citizenship, and regional governance by translating complex political ideas into accessible and engaging educational experiences. Organizers hope the workshops will encourage reflection on identity, civic participation, and collective responsibility within Azorean society.

Designed specifically for elementary-level students, the program takes place directly within participating schools and relies on practical sessions using the LEGO Serious Play methodology — an interactive approach intended to stimulate active learning, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication.

Through hands-on activities, students are encouraged to build, share, and reflect upon their ideas, helping transform abstract political and civic concepts into experiences more tangible and relatable to their everyday lives.

With this initiative, the municipality says it is reinforcing its commitment to civic education and to cultivating among younger generations a stronger awareness of the importance of regional autonomy and democratic participation.

“Through this project, we are investing in the new generations by promoting knowledge about the autonomy of the Azores and encouraging active and conscious civic participation, which is essential for the future of our municipality,” stated Rui Drumonde, councilman for the Câmara Municipal de Angra do Heroísmo.

Beyond its educational dimension, the project reflects a broader effort taking place across the Azores to ensure that autonomy is not remembered solely as a historical achievement, but understood as a living civic framework whose future depends on the engagement and understanding of younger generations.

Translated and adapted from Press Release.