The Solemn Session of the Day of the Autonomous Region of the Azores to be held Monday at the Legislative Assembly in the city of Horta, will be celebrated with the bestowal of 37 Honour Commendations upon personalities and institutions. The event will be attended by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

In a joint organisation of the Legislative Assembly and the Government of the Azores, this ceremony will distinguish 19 personalities, seven of them posthumously, and 11 regional institutions.

The Day of the Autonomous Region of the Azores was established by the Legislative Assembly in 1980.
The date, observed throughout the archipelago as a regional holiday, celebrates the "affirmation of the identity of the Azorean people, their philosophy of life and their regional unity," being regarded as "the basis and justification of the political autonomy that has been proudly recognised and recognised."

The Azorean Commendations, whose legal scheme was approved in 2002 aim to distinguish "citizens and legal persons who have distinguished themselves by personal or institutional merits, acts, civic deeds or by services rendered to the Region."
There are four Honour Commendations in the Azores: Insígnia Autonómica de Valor (Autonomic Commendation of Value), Insígnia Autonómica de Reconhecimento (Autonomic Commendation of Recognition), Insígnia Autonómica de Mérito (Autonomic Commendation of Merit that comprises professional merit, industrial, commercial and agricultural merit, and civic merit) and Insígnia Autonómica de Dedicação (Autonomic Commendation of Dedication).

The Autonomic Commendation of Value intends to distinguish "the exceptionally relevant performance of positions at the self-government bodies or at the service of the Region" or civic deeds of great relevance."

In turn, the Autonomic Commendation of recognition aims to honour "the acts or the conduct of exceptional relevance" of Portuguese and foreign citizens who "value and confer prestige to the Region in the Country or abroad," who "contribute to the expansion of the Azorean culture or to the knowledge of the Azores and of their history or who "distinguish themselves by their literary, scientific, artistic or sports merit."

The Autonomic Commendation of Merit aims to distinguish "meritorious acts or services rendered by Portuguese or foreign citizens in the exercise of public or private duties."

This commendation is divided into the Professional Merit category, "distinguishes the exceptional performance in any professional activity, whether by self-employed workers or by employees"; Industrial, Commercial and Agricultural Merit "awards those who, having undertaken their action in industrial, commercial or agricultural areas, have distinguished themselves for important services in the development these areas or by exceptional merits in their action; Civic Merit, "honours those who, according to a clear understanding of their civic duties, have relevantly contributed to the services for the community, namely in social and cultural areas."

Finally, the Autonomic Commendation of Dedication "aims to distinguish relevant services rendered in the performance of duties in the Public Administration as well as to honour the workers who demonstrate unusual qualities in their position and who, by their conduct, may become an example to follow."

According to the legislation establishing the Azorean honour commendations, those distinguished with these awards have the duty to "honour the Region" in all circumstances and to "dignify the commendation by all means."
The list of personalities and institutions distinguished this year with Autonomic Commendation at the Solemn Session of the Day of the Autonomous Region of the Azores is as follows:

Insígnia Autonómica de Reconhecimento - Autonomic Commendation of Recognition
 
- Aníbal Duarte Raposo
- Diniz Aurélio Lourenço Borges
- Horácio Teixeira de Medeiros Franco (posthumously)
- Luís Alberto Medeiros Bettencourt
- Luís Manuel Ribeiro da Rocha Monteiro (posthumously)
- Manuel Urbano Bettencourt Machado
- Marcolino Candeias Coelho Lopes (posthumously)
 
Insígnia Autonómica de Mérito - Autonomic Commendation of Merit
 
Insígnia Autonómica de Mérito Profissional - Autonomic Commendation of Professional Merit
 
- Carlos Eduardo Pereira Duarte
- Duarte Manuel Pacheco Pimentel
- José Carlos de Magalhães Cymbron
- Luís Costa da Rosa Bruno (posthumously)
- Ramiro Gaspar de Lima (posthumously)
 
Insígnia Autonómica de Mérito Industrial, Comercial e Agrícola - Autonomic Commendation of Industrial, Commercial and Agricultural Merit
 
- Caixa Económica da Misericórdia de Angra do Heroísmo
 
Insígnia Autonómica de Mérito Cívico - Autonomic Commendation of Civic Merit
 
- Fernando Dutra de Sousa
- Maria Evelina de Sousa (posthumously)
- Masatoshi Ohi
- Óscar Patrício da Rocha
- Alpendre, Grupo de Teatro
- Associação de Socorros Mútuos de Ponta Delgada
- Casa do Povo de Rabo de Peixe
- Clube Naval da Horta
- Escola Regional de Artesanato de Santo Amaro do Pico
- Grupo de Baile da Canção Regional Terceirense
- Grupo Etnográfico da Beira
- Instituto Histórico da Ilha Terceira
- Mãe de Deus, Associação de Solidariedade Social
- Sociedade Filarmónica Artista Faialense
 
Insígnia Autonómica de Dedicação - Autonomic Commendation of Dedication
 
- João António Santos Sequeira (posthumously)
- João Manuel Pereira Forjaz Sampaio
- Luís Davide Toste Diniz