The Regional Director for Communities starts Friday a visit to Brazil and Uruguay where, in addition to meeting with the Azorean communities and their representatives, he participates in the 12th Azorean Cultural Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, the Cultural Week of the House of the Azores of São Paulo and the Azoriano-Carolinas Fiestas.
Paulo Teves begins this visit in Rio de Janeiro, where he participates in the opening ceremony of the 12th Azorean Cultural Meeting, an event promoted by the House of the Azores of Rio de Janeiro. It includes several lectures and a round table on the archipelago and its diversified tourism and cultural offer.
The program of this meeting, which runs until Sunday, also features exhibitions, tastings of Azorean products and performances by Padre Tomaz de Borba Folk Group and Tuna Açoriana (university music group).
On Monday, October 23, the Regional Director visits UNISINOS - University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, where he will be welcomed by representatives of the History Postgraduate Programme; the latter includes the Centre of Azorean Studies.
Also on this day, Paulo Teves visits the Carlos Bina State School in Gravataí and meets with the Board of the House of the Azores of the State of Rio Grande do Sul.
On the following day, the Regional Director visits Florianopolis, where he will meet with the Board of the House of the Azores of Santa Catarina. On October 25, he will meet with the Municipal Secretary for Culture of Florianopolis, Márcio Luiz Alves, and the Superintendent of Franklin Cascaes Foundation, Roseli Maria da Silva Pereira.
During the afternoon, Paulo Teves met with several members of the Advisory Body of the Centre of Azorean Studies at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. In the evening, we will attend the show "Uniting Hearts: an Azorean Dream in the South Atlantic" at Álvaro de Carvalho Theatre.
During his stay in state capital of Santa Catarina, Paulo Teves will also meet with the Mayor of Florianopolis, Gean Marques Loureiro.
On October 27, the Regional Director for Communities travels to São Paulo, where he participates in the 16th Cultural Week promoted by the local House of the Azores. The initiative intends to disseminate Azorean culture and traditions and this year's edition will be held under the theme "Singing as a manifestation of nations and peoples."
Paulo Teves concludes his visit to South America with a visit to the city of San Carlos in Uruguay on October 28 and 29. He will take part in the 15th edition of the Azoriano-Carolinas Fiestas, an event promoted by the House of the Azores of Uruguay.
These festivities celebrate the arrival of the first Azorean emigrants in this region of the country. This year's programme includes the conferences "Azorianos hacedores de patria" (Azorean nation builders) by Manuela Techera, and “Rescatando mi memoria familiar en las islas Azores” (Rescuing my family memory on the islands of the Azores) by Raquel Domínguez.
Furthermore, the programme also includes, among other initiatives, a Dance Festival featuring “Los Azoreños” and “Coroazores” Dance Groups, "Terceira" Music Group and “Los Azoreños” Tango Group.