Europe Day celebrations in São Jorge dedicated to Biosphere Reserves - Communication

Vice-Presidência do Governo Regional

On May 9, the Vice-Presidency of the Regional Government held Europe Day celebrations in the town of Velas, São Jorge Island, with a series of cultural and educational initiatives dedicated to the Biosphere Reserves, in partnership with the Velas Town Council, the Velas Basic Education and Secondary School and the Calheta Basic Education and Secondary School. 

The celebrations began at Velas Basic Education and Secondary School with the hoisting of the flags of Portugal, the Autonomous Region of the Azores and the European Union, to the sound of their respective anthems, performed by students from Velas and Calheta Basic Education and Secondary Schools. This was followed by a class debate on the "75 years of European integration: The Schuman Declaration today and the Azores."

The afternoon continued with the "Europe Quiz," a general knowledge quiz on the Azores and the European Union, History, Geography & Demography and Institutions & People, with the participation of students from Velas Basic Education School, Calheta Basic Education School and São Jorge Island Vocational School. 

There were also exploratory workshops dedicated to the Azorean Biosphere Reserves. 

Activities resumed at the Velas Municipal Auditorium with a new flag-hoisting ceremony, with a musical performance by the Lusitânia Liberdade Philharmonic Band, which preceded the conference "The Europe of Tomorrow: the contribution of the implementation of Biosphere Reserves," presented by Maria Anunciação Ventura, a researcher at the University of the Azores.  

This was followed by a panel discussion dedicated to the Azorean Biosphere Reserves, featuring the participation of the mayor of Velas, Luís Silveira, the manager of the Fajãs de São Jorge Biosphere Reserve, Paulo Jorge Silveira, and also the researcher of the University of the Azores, Maria Anunciação Ventura. The event closed with a speech delivered by the Vice-President of the Regional Government, Artur Lima.

These celebrations highlight the ecological, cultural, economic and social value of the four Biosphere Reserves in the Azores (Corvo, Flores, Graciosa and Fajãs de São Jorge) and also reiterate the Region's commitment to the European project and the role of Outermost Regions in building a more cohesive, sustainable and participatory Europe.