Media and news Regional Government of the Azores - Communication

Nota de Imprensa
November 13, 2025
Resultados das provas finais de 9.º ano comprovam convergência dos Açores com média nacional
Os resultados das provas finais de 9.º ano revelam uma tendência consistente de convergência da média regional dos Açores com a média nacional a Português e a Matemática. Inclusivamente, a Matemática, os Açores tiveram o melhor resultado desde 2012. No caso de Matemática, a Região aumenta pelo quarto ano consecutivo a sua média regional, passado de 35,7% em 2022 para 45,5% em 2025 e no caso do Português passa de 49,4% em 2022 para 55% em 2025, quando a média nacional a Português se situa atualmente em 58% e a Matemática em 51,8%. Em causa estão resultados que espelham uma evolução positiva, que é fruto do investimento na Educação nos Açores e que já tinha encontrado paralelo nos resultados dos alunos dos Açores obtidos em estudos internacionais, como é o caso do TIMMs. No caso das provas ModA, sendo a primeira vez que são aplicadas a nível nacional, a Região não tem termo comparativo com anos anteriores. Ainda que os Açores apresentem resultados abaixo das médias nacionais a Português e a Matemática, destaca-se esta última com maior diferenciação em relação à média nacional ( menos cinco pontos percentuais no 4.º ano e menos 3,9 pontos percentuais no 6.º ano). Com média positiva encontra-se a disciplina de Inglês no 4.º ano com 54,8%. Ainda nas provas ModA destaque também para as dimensões compreensão e produção de texto com resultados regionais muito próximos das médias nacionais e para alguns concelhos dos Açores, nomeadamente Calheta, Lajes do Pico, Santa Cruz das Flores e Corvo, com resultados em linha com as médias nacionais. Na sequência da receção dos relatórios de escola da avaliação externa das aprendizagens, a Direção Regional de Educação e Administração Educativa vai solicitar a cada escola a análise destes resultados, bem como a definição de estratégias, que serão posteriormente analisadas no âmbito do Conselho Coordenador do Sistema Educativo Regional. Recorde-se que a Secretaria Regional da Educação, Cultura e Desporto tem promovido uma série de projetos para o 1.º ciclo do ensino básico com vista a intervenção precoce na promoção do sucesso, nomeadamente o desenvolvimento do programa “AaZ – Ler Melhor, Saber Mais” e do “Pensamento Computacional”.

Nota de Imprensa
November 13, 2025
The regional government approves €200,000 in incentives for developing Azorean Handicrafts
Artisans and Craft Production Units (UPAs) in the Azores who applied this year to the Incentive System for the Development of Azorean Handicrafts (SIDART) will receive public support totalling €200,000, as recently approved by the Regional Secretary for Youth, Housing and Employment, Maria João Carreiro. A total of 150 applications were approved, including 71  for co-funding investments in UPAs, 44 for projects to improve and innovate craft products, 30 for investment projects to boost the craft sector, and five applications for investments in craft training. "SIDART is a unique incentive system in the country. Given its scope and predictability, this system has stimulated, every year, a series of investments not only in the defence and safeguarding of craft production, but also in its promotion, qualification, and innovation," explained Maria João Carreiro. For the first time, the submission, processing and validation of applications took place exclusively on the Azorean Handicrafts portal, at artesanato.azores.gov.pt, simplifying procedures and allowing applicants to monitor all stages of the process. “The new Azorean Handicrafts website, launched in December 2024, has streamlined procedures and, above all, further strengthened communication and proximity between the Crafts and Design Centre of the Azores [CADA], a public service of excellence, and artisans and craft companies,” stated the Regional Secretary. Applications for SIDART open annually. The amount of support varies between a minimum of €200 and a maximum of €20,000, non-refundable, up to a limit of 50% of eligible expenses for applications from the islands of São Miguel and Terceira and 60% for the other islands of the archipelago - Santa Maria, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico, Faial, Flores and Corvo. In May 2022, the PSD/CDS-PP/PPM coalition government introduced improvements to the SIDART regulations, including the possibility of subsidising accommodation expenses in Portugal or abroad for participation in trade fairs, or subsidising expenses already incurred and not foreseen, thereby adapting this system to the needs of artisans.

Nota de Imprensa
November 13, 2025
Press release
Following statements made by Grupo Desportivo Comercial (GDC) during the press conference presenting the Azores Rally, held on November 12, the Regional Directorate for Sport (DRD) clarifies that the statement about the club not receiving financial support from the Regional Government of the Azores is not true. As part of the 2025 Azores Rally Championship, Grupo Desportivo Comercial received financial support awarded and already paid by the Regional Directorate for Sport, totalling €10,826.23, corresponding to the Ponta Delgada Rally and Azores Rally: - Ponta Delgada Rally – €5,918.84; - Azores Rallye – €4,907.39. Overall support for the Azores Rally Championship amounts to €85,280.00. It is distributed among the competitions in a balanced manner, based on the average number of drivers, navigators and marshals who have participated in each of the respective competitions over the last four years. It should also be clarified that, in 2025, it was agreed that the number of competitions in the Azores Rally Championship would be increased, while the overall amount of support provided by the Azorean Government would remain the same. This decision resulted in the same global amount being allocated to one more competition than in 2024. The DRD reiterates its commitment to transparency, rigour and fairness in the management of public support, acknowledging the importance of organising entities in promoting motor sports and enhancing the visibility of the Autonomous Region of the Azores beyond its borders.

Nota de Imprensa
November 13, 2025
Regional Government promotes 3rd Migration Forum in Angra do Heroísmo
The Regional Secretariat for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities is promoting the third edition of the Migration Forum, which will take place on November 19 and 20 at the Angra do Heroísmo Interpretation Centre on Terceira Island. Organised by the Regional Directorate for the Communities and open to the general public, the forum is a space for meeting, debate and reflection on migration, integration and diversity. It will bring together institutional representatives, experts, civil society organisations and migrant communities. During the meeting, the challenges and opportunities of human mobility in the Azores will be addressed, with special attention to the relations with the Autonomous Region of Madeira, the role of the media in migration narratives, and the celebration of 50 years of the independence of Portuguese-speaking African countries. The event kicks off on Wednesday, November 19, at 3 p.m., with the opening session chaired by the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Paulo Estevão. It will also feature speeches by José Andrade, Regional Director for the Communities of the Azorean Government, and Sancho Gomes, Regional Director for Communities and External Cooperation of the Government of Madeira. This will be followed by the signing ceremony of cooperation protocols between the Regional Secretariat for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, AIPA – Association of Immigrants in the Azores, and CRESAÇOR – Migrant Support Office, with a view to strengthening institutional coordination and improving efficiency in serving migrant citizens in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.  The inaugural conference will be held at 3:45 p.m. and will be delivered by Rui Armindo Freitas, Deputy Minister for the Presidency and Immigration, focusing on the theme "Migration in the World, Europe and Portugal." The first panel, dedicated to "Migration in the Azores," scheduled for 4:45 p.m., will feature presentations by José Andrade (Regional Director for the Communities), Andrea Moniz-DeSouza (President of the Association of Azorean Emigrants), Leoter Viegas (President of AIPA – Association of Immigrants in the Azores) and Ana Silva (Coordinator of the Migrant Support Office at CRESAÇOR). It will be moderated by José Lourenço, editor-in-chief of the Diário Insular newspaper. The second panel, on the theme of "Migration in Madeira," begins at 5:45 p.m., with contributions from the Regional Director for Communities and External Cooperation, Sancho Gomes, and the coordinator of the Local Centre for the Integration of Migrants in Funchal, Fabiana Sousa. The panel will be moderated by Carla Félix, deputy editor-in-chief of Jornal da Praia newspaper. On Thursday, November 20, the proceedings will continue with a morning dedicated to migrants, with three debates bringing together emigrants (10 a.m. to 11 a.m.), returnees (11 a.m. to 12 p.m.) and immigrants (12 p.m. to 1 p.m.). It will be moderated by association leaders Andrea Moniz-DeSouza, Ana Silva and Leoter Viegas, respectively, promoting dialogue and the sharing of experiences. In the first afternoon session, the third panel, scheduled for 3 p.m., will focus on the theme of "Migration and Communication." It will feature presentations by Nuno Neves (RTP/Açores - TV station), Paula Gouveia (Açoriano Oriental newspaper), José Lourenço (Diário Insular newspaper), Miguel Azevedo (Rádio Clube de Angra - radio station), and Paulo Feliciano (VITEC Azores TV). The president of the Macaronesia Association of the Azores, Paulo Mendes, will moderate this panel. The fourth and final panel, dedicated to "50 years of PALOP," begins at 4:30 p.m. and will bring together representatives from Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, and São Tomé and Príncipe. The session will be moderated by Sofia Lourenço, national president of the +Lusofonia Association. The forum closes with the delivery ceremony of the completion certificates of the Portuguese Language courses for Speakers of Other Languages, recently held on the island of Terceira. The initiative was organised by AIPA and funded by the Regional Directorate for the Communities, under the auspices of the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Paulo Estêvão. Following the two previous editions, held on the islands of Faial and Pico in October 2023 and on the island of São Miguel in December 2024, the 3rd Migration Forum reiterates the Regional Government's commitment to promoting dialogue, cooperation and integration, consolidating the Region's role as a bridge between communities, cultures and territories in the Portuguese-speaking world.

Nota de Imprensa
November 12, 2025
Artur Lima signs Memorandum of Understanding with Startup Portugal
The Vice-President of the Regional Government, Artur Lima, signed today a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Startup Portugal at the Web Summit in Lisbon.  It establishes a framework for cooperation to support the Region's entrepreneurial ecosystem.  The MoU between the Regional Government of the Azores and Startup Portugal, the entity responsible at a national level for monitoring, tracking and controlling the process of recognising the startup and scaleup status, strengthens the commitment to supporting and promoting the regional innovation ecosystem. For the Vice-President of the Regional Government, this Memorandum will promote “the initiatives of the Azorean entrepreneurial community, giving it visibility as well as a national and international reach in a highly competitive global market.” The cooperation framework established "is aligned with the work being carried out by the Government, both in terms of promoting and strengthening Science and Technology Parks and attracting foreign investment," stated Artur Lima. “It is also essential to continue promoting the Azores as an attractive Atlantic hub for investment. The signing of this Memorandum falls within the external promotion strategy pursued by the Government,” emphasised the Vice-President of the Government.  The Autonomous Region of the Azores has a dedicated space at Web Summit 2025. In this edition, which takes place between November 10 and 13, the Regional Government has secured the presence of fifteen Azorean companies from various sectors, including drone construction, biotechnology, telecommunications engineering, artificial intelligence and computer programming.  “Web Summit is one of the largest technology fairs in the world. The presence of these fifteen companies is a strategic opportunity to demonstrate the excellence of regional innovation,” he said. He added: "Above all, it is the right forum for developing partnerships and attracting investment and talent." Web Summit is a flagship event on the national and global technological innovation scene. More than 70,000 participants from 157 countries have attended the ten editions to date. There are also 1,857 investors from 86 countries in attendance.

Nota de Imprensa
November 12, 2025
"Taste Azores Colombo" returns to Lisbon with more than twenty Azorean companies
Between November 19 and 23, the Colombo Shopping Centre in Lisbon will host the 7th edition of the "Taste Azores Colombo" event, an initiative of the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Food, organised by the Azores Brand Management and Promotion Office.  The event will involve the direct participation of 24 regional companies from different sectors of activity, with a special focus on the food sector: Adolfo Mendonça Atelier, António Teles Herdeiros Lda., AgroMarienseCoop CRL, AzorGhee - CD Lux Investment Unipessoal LDA, Boa Fruta LDA, CPdA - Companhia Portuguesa de Algas, Espaço Açores – Restaurant, Insulac - Produtos Lácteos Açoreanos, SA, LactAçores UCRL, Loop Pursuit Lda. (Bananika), Magma, Materramenta, Mel do Atlântico Unipessoal Lda, Mercado das Ilhas - Natur Froyo, MPD - Bensaude Distribuição, Promineral, Pronicol Produtos Lácteos S.A., Queijo Vaquinha, Quinta das 3 Cruzes, Quintal dos Açores, RTM Laticínios do Pico, Salsicharia Ideal, Sociedade Conserveira Açoriana, Lda. and YOÇOR - Garcez & Santos. With companies from the islands of São Miguel, Terceira, Pico, Graciosa, São Jorge and Santa Maria, this edition also features an institutional partner, Azores Tourism, considering the importance of promoting the Azores as a destination to the general public. This 7th edition follows on from the success of previous editions. It aims to continue the strategy of increasing the consumption of Azorean products among national consumers in a space where more than 70,000 people visit on average every day, giving them the opportunity to discover and purchase hundreds of products from our islands. "'Taste Azores Colombo’ is much more than a product fair. It is a living showcase of the quality, diversity, and authenticity of our islands. In bringing 24 Azorean companies to Lisbon, we are strengthening the link between producers and consumers, promoting the Azores as a destination and opening new avenues for export. This event demonstrates the vitality of our regional economy and the confidence we have in the future of our products in the domestic and international markets," stated António Ventura, Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Food. He added: "We want the Azores' excellent products to be acknowledged and valued not only in Portugal, but throughout the world. Every cheese, every fruit, every preserve or food innovation that we present here carries with it the identity and soul of our islands. Taste Azores is a strategic platform for giving international visibility to what we produce with dedication and quality, as well as for establishing the Azores as a brand of trust and excellence in the agrifood sector." Given the time of year when this event takes place, close to the Christmas season, it is expected that this edition will draw an even larger audience than in previous years, thus encouraging direct contact between participating Azorean companies and not only final consumers but also distributors and retailers. This promotional activity and presence in Lisbon will be used to continuously and consistently expand the range of Azorean products and services on the national market. This is an initiative promoted by the Regional Government that aims to actively contribute to an increase in exports through integrated and consistent promotion of the best the Region has to offer. With "Taste Azores Colombo," Lisbon once again becomes the stage for Azorean authenticity and excellence. With unique flavours, innovation and tradition, this 7th edition promises to attract thousands of visitors and strengthen the presence of the Azores in the hearts of national consumers.

Nota de Imprensa
November 12, 2025
José Manuel Bolieiro proposes new linguistic and cultural pact in Ibero-American space
The President of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, participated online this Tuesday in the opening session of the 4th International Conference on Portuguese and Spanish Languages (CILPE2025), which is taking place in the city of Praia, Cape Verde. Promoted by the Organisation of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture (OEI), the initiative brings together more than 70 experts from 12 countries, who, over several days, will discuss the role of the Portuguese and Spanish languages in the contemporary world, as well as the promotion of indigenous languages and cultural diversity. After three editions held in Latin American countries, the conference reaches the African continent for the first time. The selection of Cape Verde and its capital has a significance that goes beyond symbolism: it represents a strategic choice that strengthens the historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between continents, promoting closer relations between peoples and the construction of a more inclusive and global citizenship. This year, the CILPE conference in Praia coincides with two important milestones: the 75th anniversary of the OEI and the 50th anniversary of Cape Verde's independence. This reinforces the celebratory and cooperative spirit of this edition, which focuses on defending the values of education, human rights, and cultural and linguistic cooperation between the Portuguese-speaking and Spanish-speaking worlds. Among the personalities present at the event were Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, scholar Darío Villanueva, a member of the Royal Spanish Academy, and Jorge Carlos Fonseca, former President of the Republic of Cape Verde, along with researchers and policymakers from the Ibero-American community. The head of the Azorean Government welcomed the event and emphasised the importance of choosing Cape Verde as a "living example of dialogue and interculturality." He also recalled the strong ties that unite the Cape Verdean archipelago with the Azores, where a significant Cape Verdean community resides. The President highlighted the role of Macaronesia, which includes the archipelagos of the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, as a "natural bridge between continents," stressing that "the shared ocean is not a barrier, but a link." He also pointed out the unique position of the Azores as the European region closest to the Americas, a territory that has historically been a meeting point between cultures and civilisations. José Manuel Bolieiro advocated the creation of an Ibero-American Atlantic Pact, focused on the shared management of cultural and natural resources. "The Azores not only have an interest in this collective endeavour, but also a duty to actively participate in it," stated the President of the Azorean Government. He added: "May this conference inspire new bridges of cooperation and reaffirm the role of our languages as instruments of unity and future between peoples and continents." Related press release: Speech by the President of the Government

Intervenção
November 12, 2025
Speech by the President of the Government
Full text of the speech delivered on Tuesday by the President of the Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, via digital transmission, at the opening session of CILPE2025 - 4th International Conference on the Portuguese and Spanish Languages: “I greet you all from the archipelago of the Azores. I deeply regret not being able to be with you physically today in Praia, which would have been a personal and institutional honour. The urgent responsibilities of regional governance during this period of debate and voting for the 2026 Regional Plan and Budget prevent me from being here and there with you. However, I still wanted to be part of this 4th International Conference on the Portuguese and Spanish Languages, even if from a distance. And I do so with a great sense of timing and relevance. So as to avoid being completely absent, I am making myself present through this audiovisual format, and I ask for your understanding regarding this alternative. Firstly, I would like to warmly congratulate the Organisation of Ibero-American States and all the co-organising entities for this magnificent initiative. The decision to hold CILPE2025 on the African continent, and specifically in Cape Verde, is, as your programme document states, "decentralising and symbolic." Above all, it is profoundly strategic. In fact, I applaud this choice. In a year when Cape Verde celebrates 50 years of independence, this conference in the city of Praia is a fitting recognition of Cape Verde's role as a nation of dialogue and a living example of interculturality. I would like to take this opportunity to offer a special and warm greeting to the Cape Verdean people, who have a significant community on our Azores islands. This conference brings together policymakers and leading experts. It rightly emphasises the role of Macaronesia as a cultural, scientific and economic bridge between continents. The Azores, whose regional government I have the honour of presiding over, are a founding and integral part of this community of Atlantic archipelagos—together with our brothers and sisters from Cape Verde, the Canary Islands and Madeira. The ocean we share does not separate us; it unites us. Within this network of islands that charts the routes of the Atlantic, the archipelago of the Azores takes on a truly unique geostrategic position. We are, due to our unchanging geography, the European region closest to the Americas. This proximity is not, however, a mere geographical fact. It is a historical, cultural, human and economic reality that has shaped our very identity. The Azores are and have always been, due to their calling and history, a meeting point for routes, a haven and a starting point for exchanges between Europe, Africa and the Americas. For this reason, we understand all too well the importance of the central themes that bring us together here today. The motto — Multilingualism, Interculturality, Citizenship — perfectly reflects the challenges of our time. Our languages, Portuguese and Spanish, account for a community of almost 850 million speakers. This is an extraordinary asset. Their true value is not merely demographic; it is a strategic potential for social cohesion, for the defence of democratic values, for the promotion of global and inclusive citizenship, which recalls and preserves the historical legacy of cosmopolitanism, inclusive universalism, and multiculturalism. In a rapidly changing world, with serious risks of civilisational, atavistic and isolationist setbacks, full of unacceptable phobias, we must prepare ourselves to emerge victorious from this battle, as well as from the modern challenges of Artificial Intelligence and the emergence of sustainable development practices. In this regard, the bridge of wisdom that cooperation between our linguistic spaces can awaken, in general and particularly in digital communication, may be relevant. The debates that will take place in this conference on the geopolitics of languages, mobility and the creative economy are crucial for us to draw up joint lines of action. Therefore,  reiterate the full commitment of the Government of the Azores to the values and goals of this conference. Allow me to highlight the value of the Portuguese and Spanish languages as marks of future communication, combining culture and identity with strategies for liquid futures; for the liquid modernity we live in. This conference on multilingualism can and should be an essential pillar for this geopolitical challenge. In fact, the effective consolidation of our common space will transcend the "community of affection" that we already are, reaching the level of a cohesive and strategic community in terms of its overall influence on the global stage. The Atlantic Ocean is the geo-economic and geo-strategic axis that unites us. Its sustainable management, which we oversee, will make it safer and more enduring. We must make this a driving force for our cohesion. Therefore, I would like to pass on a final message of commitment. One of the major challenges ahead of us will undoubtedly be the implementation of a truly "Ibero-American Atlantic Pact," focused on the joint governance of our cultural identity and natural resources. Due to our unique historical and geographical position as the European region closest to the Americas, the Azores not only have an interest in this process, but are also fully committed and determined to promote it and play an active role in its implementation, if this is the wish of all partners. You can count on the Azores. I wish all participants a very fruitful meeting. May the city of Praia, today the heart of Macaronesia, give rise to decisive contributions to the future of our vibrant global community: the Ibero-American community. Thank you very much."