Paulo Estêvão stresses value that Azoreans bring to host communities - Communication

Secretaria Regional dos Assuntos Parlamentares e Comunidades

The Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Paulo Estêvão, ended his official visit to Canada with a meeting with elderly people at the Abrigo Centre in Toronto, highlighting the Azorean people's "ideal of sharing" and the "added value" they bring to their host communities.

"I am proud to be here with so many of you, share my message and listen to your stories. The Regional Government and the Azores are always on your side," he emphasised.

Paulo Estêvão recalled the contribution of the Azoreans and people of Azorean descent to the communities spread around the world. He invited everyone present at the session to include the Azores in their planned trips and pointed out the progress made in the Region in recent years.

The Abrigo Centre has been active for over 30 years.

It is a non-profit organisation aimed at integrating newcomers to Canada and raising awareness of social problems in the community, particularly among young people, the elderly and domestic violence victims. 

The majority of the thousands of annual users speak Portuguese, with most originating from the Azores.

The Regional Government has established a protocol to support this institution based in the province of Ontario, with the aim of cooperating in the social integration of the Azorean community, through the implementation of programmes guaranteeing their full integration and the promotion of quality of life.