The Regional Legislative Assembly approved today by unanimity the awarding of 48 honour commendations whose bestowal will take place on the Day of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, which is annually celebrated on Holy Spirit Monday.
Being a floating holiday, the Day of the Azores will be celebrated this year on May 28. The solemn session, which is jointly organised by the Legislative Assembly and the Regional Government, will be held in the village of Povoação, São Miguel Island.
In a resolution adopted today, the Azorean Parliament stresses that the awarding of these commendations conveys “the public recognition to citizens or institutions that have significantly contributed to the consolidation of the historic, cultural and political identity of the Azorean people.”
According to the same resolution, this initiative "symbolically aims to stimulate the continuity and emergence of deeds, merits and virtues with special emphasis on the construction of our insular heritage.”
"Continuing to distinguish, formally and solemnly, the invaluable contribution of those who have distinguished themselves for their work, their art or thoughts symbolises the perpetuation of our own identity."
The Azorean honour commendations were established by Regional Legislative Decree no. 36/2002/A of 28 November with the purpose of paying tribute to individuals or legal persons that, through the multiple aspects of their actions, as well as their diverse backgrounds, have distinguished themselves for the benefit of the community and the valorisation of the Azores.
Nevertheless, the embodiment of these honorary symbols was only implemented through the Regional Legislative Decree no. 10/2006/A of March 20. Hence, the first Azorean honorary commendations were awarded by the first time in 2006.
The honour commendations comprise the following categories: insígnia autonómica de valor (autonomic commendation of value), insígnia autonómica de reconhecimento (autonomic commendation or recognition), insígnia autonómica de mérito (autonomic commendation of merit which includes professional merit, industrial, commercial and agricultural merit, and civic merit) and insígnia autonómica de dedicação (autonomic commendation of dedication).
Between 2006 and 2012, a total of 220 honour commendations were awarded: 10 autonomic commendations of value, 68 autonomic commendations of recognition, 134 autonomic commendations of merit and 8 autonomic commendations of dedication.
The list of commendations awarded this year is the following:
Insígnia autonómica de reconhecimento - Autonomic commendation of recognition (9):
- Arquimínio Rodrigues da Costa
- José Maria Teixeira Dias
- José Martins de Medeiros
- José Renato Medina Moura
- Luiz Antônio de Assis Brasil
- Luís Cristovão Dias de Aguiar
- Mário António da Mota Mesquita
- Ricardo da Piedade Abreu Serrão Santos
- Sacuntala de Miranda (posthumously)
Insígnia autonómica de mérito profissional - Autonomic commendation of professional merit (8):
- Adriano Paim de Lima Andrade (posthumously)
- Alberto Rodrigues (posthumously)
- Álvaro Graco da Cunha Gregório
- Jorge Garcia Gago da Câmara (posthumously)
- José Leal Armas (posthumously)
- José Conde (posthumously)
- José Gabriel Coelho Gil
- Maria Cecília do Amaral e Simas
Insígnia autonómica de mérito industrial, comercial e agrícola - Autonomic commendation of industrial, commercial and agricultural merit (8):
- Alfredo Pacheco Vieira
- Augusto Botelho de Sousa Cymbron
- Carlos Alberto Noia Rafael
- Joaquim Costa Leite (posthumously)
- José da Costa Franco
- Manuel Eduardo Vieira
- Costa & Martins, Lda.
- Fundação Rebikoff-Niggeler
Insígnia autonómica de mérito cívico - Autonomic commendation of civic merit (20):
- Carlos Alberto de Menezes Moniz
- Fernando Cabral Teixeira
- Francisco Caetano Tomás
- João Ângelo de Oliveira Vieira
- José Orlando de Noronha da Silveira Bretão (posthumously)
- Manuel Antonio de Melo Pimentel (posthumously)
- Manuel Barbosa (posthumously)
- Mário Machado Fraião
- Max Brix Elizabeth (posthumously)
- Associação Faialense de Bombeiros Voluntários
- Clube Juvenil Boa Viagem
- Clube Vasco da Gama da Bermuda
- Federação dos Bombeiros dos Açores
- Grupo de Teatro “A Jangada”
- Judo Clube de São Jorge
- Kairós, Cooperativa de Incubação de iniciativas de Economia Solidária, CRL
- Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Vila Franca do Campo
- Santa Casa da Misericórdia do Nordeste
- Sociedade Filarmónica Euterpe de Castelo Branco
- Sociedade Filarmónica Marcial Troféu da Povoação
Insígnia autonómica de dedicação - Autonomic commendation of dedication (3):
- Gui Heber Bettencourt Louro (posthumously)
- José Garcia (posthumously)
- Rubens de Almeida Pavão