The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations stated in Corvo that the Azores are "an exemplary region" in Europe.
 
Rui Bettencourt spoke Tuesday during the Europe Day celebrations, which took place on the smallest island of the archipelago. The government official stressed that, among 300 regions in Europe, "less than 40 regions have such a strong Autonomy and identity" as the Azores.
 
"Our autonomy, our democratic experience, our future project, should be - and is - an example for the entire Europe," said the Minister of External Relations.
 
In his speech, he pointed out that the Azores are "a strong example for Europe" because they know how to seek and organise their solidarity and "compensate for their relative weaknesses, leaving no one behind."
 
Rui Bettencourt said he feels a Corvo islander when he represents the Azores, considering that "we should not be limited just because we are small."
 
"Our size is the size of our determination," said the government official.
 
The Regional Secretary also highlighted the symbolism of May 9 celebrations on Corvo Island and the importance of the people in the European project, as he regards that humanism "is at the heart of the Azorean project and at the heart of the European project."
 
The celebrations of Europe Day on Corvo Island, attended by about a hundred people, included the performance of the Ode to Joy and the Azorean Anthem by Lira Corvense Philharmonic Band at Largo do Outeiro. It was followed by the "March of Flags" that headed to the Municipal Library, where the mural painted by artist Daniel Eime was opened. The activity involved the participation of elementary school students of Mouzinho da Silveira Basic Education and Secondary School.
 
This mural, painted under the initiative "Corvo Citizen, Citizen of Europe," features the faces of pro-European Jacques Delors and José Mendonça Machado, the island's oldest Corvo islander who is 96.
 
On the occasion, the Regional Secretary offered José Mendonça Machado a copy of the first page of the newspaper "Correio de Açores" of October 28, 1920, the date of his birth, praising his life path and personality.
 
The ceremonies were photographed by Luís Godinho, who also accompanied the painting works of the mural. The event closed with "Jogral da União," an activity that included the recitation of poems by Portuguese authors and excerpts from texts by Jacques Delors, Robert Schuman and Winston Churchill.