Rodrigo Oliveira defends importance of new technologies to promote Azorean traditions
The Regional Under Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations defended in East Providence, USA, that the use of new communication and information technologies is "fundamental" to better promote Azorean traditions among new audiences, especially new generations of Azorean descent.
"During the current legislative period, the Azorean Government has created innovative, dynamic and interactive electronic tools with the aim of promoting and disseminating the most profound and cultural manifestations of Azorean identity," said Rodrigo Oliveira. The government official spoke Friday at the Santa Maria Cultural Centre during the launch of the itineraries on Folk Dance Groups and Philharmonic Band of the Azores and the communities, which were presented by the Regional Director for Communities, Paulo Teves.
"When we inventoried these demonstrations by recovering its history, making its various activities accessible and disseminating videos, photos, music and texts via Internet platforms in several languages, we honoured our past and strengthened, once again, the proximity between the Azores and the communities through culture," said the government official.
Rodrigo Oliveira stressed that philharmonic bands and folk dance groups "arouse the interest and participation of young people, both in the Azores and in the communities," thus considering that they are "crucial to the rejuvenation of associations and to the continuity of Azorean traditions."
"The focus on the teaching of Portuguese in the Diaspora and the promotion of visits and exchanges between the Region and the communities are another important component in the future of the relations between the Azores and their communities," added the government official.
In this regard, the Regional Under Secretary recalled the visit made on the same day to the International Chater School in Pawtucket, also in the state of Rhode Island. This is a public bilingual elementary school, whose model he considered "exemplary" as it has adopted a teaching methodology in Portuguese and English distributed in equal parts.
This school has already promoted an exchange of students who visited the Azores in 2015 with the support of the Regional Directorate for Communities.
During the visit to the educational establishment, Rodrigo Oliveira, who was accompanied by the Vice-Consul of Portugal in Providence, Márcia Ponte, had the opportunity to answer several questions from students about the Azores; he also talked to the teachers who visited S. Miguel Island.
The Regional Under Secretary conveyed his hope that "this type of exchange may continue in the future and, thus, strengthen the ties of friendship between both sides of the Atlantic."
The Itinerary on Folk Dance Groups - Azores/Communities (www.folcloreazores.com) and the Itinerary on Philharmonic Bands - Azores/Communities (www.filarmonicasazores.com) are an initiative of the Regional Government, through the Regional Directorate for Communities; each itinerary comprises more than 60 entities.
Philharmonic bands and folk dance groups may be found through a search engine by country, province, state, city or parish. It also features information on these important manifestations of the identity of the Azorean People and allows the inclusion of other groups anywhere in the world in a simplified manner.
These two new platforms will join the Holy Spirit Itinerary, launched in 2015, which already contains more than three hundred festivities in its contents, and the website of the World Council of Houses of the Azores; the latter was also created by the Regional Government to congregate all the Houses of the Azores that make up this body.
The casasdosacores.org address provides access to information on the history, the founders, the activities, the services and the current governing bodies of each House as well as the all the information related to the World Council of Houses of the Azores, established in 1997.
"We believe these tools will definitely contribute to the assertion of our cultural legacy with forthcoming generation and will also acknowledge the value of our Diaspora communities in their host countries," said Rodrigo Oliveira.