Reinforcing cooperation with Houses of the Azores is main priority for the Regional Government, says Rodrigo Oliveira
The Regional Under Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations restated today the Government's priority "to continue reinforcing the cooperation" with the Houses of the Azores and creating "tools that may enhance the visibility of their work and the ties to the Region, while respecting their institutional autonomy."
"By virtue of the excellence of their cultural agendas, their periodicity and temporal continuity, the Houses of the Azores enjoy an institutional prestige that goes far beyond the Azorean community. Indeed, they bring new audiences to Azorean artists, enriching the local cultural scene and projecting Azorean music, literature and painting from the north to the south of Portugal," said Rodrigo Oliveira. The government official spoke in the context of the meeting he held with the Houses of the Azores of Lisbon and Algarve.
The Regional Under Secretary highlighted the "effort and dedication" of the Houses of the Azores in Mainland Portugal "to become a unifying factor in the dissemination of the Azores nationwide."
"The actions developed by the Houses of the Azores play a significant role in the dissemination of our culture, traditions and our unique way of living and feeling the world. These initiatives should be better known in the Region," Rodrigo Oliveira said, stressing, among other initiatives, "the dynamics and visibility of the cultural Fridays organised by the House of the Azores of Lisbon or the sessions and the Cultural Week promoted by the House of the Azores of Algarve."
In this regard, the government official highlighted the creation of the Internet Portal of the World Council of Houses of the Azores in 2015, whose proposal is being analysed by all institutions. According to him, "this tool will bring the Houses of the Azores closer to the Region, not only in the field of culture but also in a wide range of areas. It is also intended to be a space that contributes to the knowledge on our history and the dissemination of the cultural activities developed by the Houses of the Azores and their communities."
"The Cult of the Holy Spirit, which was restored by the House of the Azores after 150 years of total absence from the south of Portugal, is a prime example that demonstrates the relevance of cultural initiatives promoted by these institutions as well as the prestigious image of the Region and its prominence at a national level," stressed the Under Secretary.