The Regional Secretary for Education and Culture stated in Vila do Porto that "we must pass the message to the youth of this new Europe that it is worth studying."

Avelino Meneses spoke during the celebrations of Europe Day celebrations, before an audience mostly composed of students. According to him, "it is not true that skilled unemployment is the highest; it is rather true that skilled labour is the highest paid. In this context, "the future of our Region and even of Europe lies in education."

"It is true that a medium-level course or a university degree is no longer a life-term solution, as it already happens in Europe or in the United States long ago. It is also true that a medium-level course or university degree is a valuable tool to build successful careers. We can only conclude that education is still the best defence for young citizens in tomorrow's society," said the Regional Secretary.

In turn, the Regional Under Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations stressed that Outermost Regions and the Azores, in particular, have provided an important contribution to the European Union. According to him, the generation of youngsters attending the ceremony held at Vila do Porto Municipal Library "will be the next generation of MEPs, EU Commission officials, members of the National Assembly, members of the Legislative Assembly and members of the Government."

"They will be perchance the generation that will be better prepared as well as a generation that has at its disposal numerous EU tools, such a mobility, learning and knowledge tools that will allow youngsters to acknowledge the value of what we have and what we are," stressed Rodrigo Oliveira.

The Regional Secretary stressed that "we all know the mobility programme available for secondary school students and, soon, students will become acquainted with university mobility programmes and their potentialities. Later on, when they will become young workers about to start a career they will be endowed with more tools to them help them knowing this reality."

Rodrigo Oliveira recalled that the Regional Government makes available to young people two fundamental tools that should be used, namely scholarship programme for traineeships in EU institutions, "Estagiar UE." Under this initiative, young graduates will have the opportunity to "undertake a traineeship in the EU Commission in Brussels or in the EU Parliament in Strasbourg."

"They are our best ambassadors and by working, training and learning in these institutions, they bring the name Azores and our potentialities, but also our main concerns. When these trainees return, they will bring an in-depth knowledge and expertise on European matters, which are increasingly complex," said the Regional Under Secretary.

The other is the José Medeiros Ferreira scholarship programme. It is intended to "support tuition fees for a postgraduate course at the College of Europe as well as accommodation, food and travel expenses. The College of Europe is an elite institution in the training of EU Commission officials, Parliament officials and of all these institutions."

 According to Rodrigo Oliveira, the Azores are able to access this highly-reputed specialised teaching institution in Europe to be "our best ambassadors and, when they return, they can better defend our interests, whether here or in Brussels."