Speech by the President of the Government - Communication

Presidência do Governo Regional

Full text of the speech delivered today by the President of the Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, in Ponta Delgada, at the opening session of the Sister Cities Summit:

It is with great satisfaction that the Azores are hosting this historic meeting, and it is an honour for me to address you on this significant occasion.

The Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD) has decided to mark its 40th anniversary with a series of events, including this Sister Cities Summit, which is now beginning.

I congratulate FLAD, represented by its President, Dr. Nuno Morais Sarmento, on its anniversary and for raising its profile in the Azores, with which we are collaborating.

Established under the Cooperation and Defence Agreement between Portugal and the United States, which has always had and continues to have as its main purpose the use of infrastructures and equipment in the Azores by the American Armed Forces, FLAD has been playing an important role in the relations between Portugal and the United States, also with a focus on the Azores.

This is evidenced by the various initiatives and programmes promoted by the Foundation in cultural, academic and scientific exchange, strengthening the ties between the two countries.

We want and always aspire to more, more in the Azores.

I would like to point out that holding the Sister Cities Summit here embodies the natural calling of the Azores as a meeting point and place of exchange for people and cultures, recognising their histories, but seeking to enhance them even further through the sharing of new legacies, knowledge, expertise, and also dreams and ambitions.

Summit meetings such as this, whose importance must be emphasised, are indispensable platforms for strengthening relations between our cities and towns, which is achieved through cooperation and friendship promoted by institutional twinning.

In the words of Azorean writer Daniel de Sá, "the community is not just a neighbourhood: it is building a future together."

In a constantly changing world, where the global order is undergoing upheaval, the best and safest path to progress and development for peoples is dialogue and cooperation between communities. Our culture fosters this cosmopolitan mindset.

Located in the middle of the Atlantic, the Azores have been a crucial link between Europe and America.

Our strategic location has supported the establishment of important partnerships in the areas of defence and economics, strengthening the security and prosperity of both continents.

The oldest American Consulate in the world is found in the Azores and is now celebrating 230 years of continuous operation.

What a source of collective and shared pride this is for us.

A historical fact that reveals our connection, which I hope will continue uninterrupted and long-lasting.

The historical presence of the U.S. armed forces at Lajes Air Base acknowledges and leverages the Azores in the context of the relations between Portugal and the United States.

The Azores are not just a remote territory, but a strategic asset for Portugal and the European Union.

The location of the Azores in the middle of the Atlantic allows the Region to significantly contribute to security and defence, as well as to competitiveness and innovation through high-performance technological infrastructure.

New emerging economies, such as the blue economy and the space economy, will consolidate the importance of the archipelago in the Atlantic projection of Portugal and Europe.

The geostrategic position of the Azores is, on the Portuguese side, I am sure, the main asset in the relations between Portugal and the United States of America.

Throughout their history, the Azoreans, living with adversity, learned, in the footsteps of Vitorino Nemésio, ‘to be neighbours, to be brothers.’ This is what we are and want to be with the United States of America.

It is this sense of community, felt by the Azoreans, that they carried with them when they left our islands for America.

The Azorean communities in the United States today play a fundamental role in the relations between Portugal and the United States.

With their dedication and hard work, the Azoreans have significantly contributed to the development of their host communities, especially in California and the various states of New England, while keeping their traditions and culture alive.

These communities are a vital link that unites both countries, promoting mutual understanding and cooperation.

The American multi-ethnic society has found in its diversity a source of human wealth that has greatly contributed to its progress. And to its own identity.

The contribution of many Azoreans, in various fields and in various states of the United States of America, deserves to be highlighted.

Quoting Onésimo Almeida, "the diaspora has shown that it is possible to be a community without territory," thriving far from home, establishing ties that endure over time. Enriching their lives and the communities they have joined.

It is a source of pride for us, for me, as President of the Government of the Azores, to be able to look at American society and see the success achieved by politicians, entrepreneurs, scientists and artists who are now Americans of Azorean origin. It is on them that much of the social, political, economic and cultural relations between our two countries are based today.

There are challenges to overcome in our relations with the United States of America. We want to deepen these relations. We want to overcome the geographical distance and our small size.

The sea and space connect us; they are our fast track to the world, to America, to development.

We want to highlight the opportunities available to us.

In exports of sustainable, high-quality products.

In scientific cooperation in the Atlantic.

In renewable energy sources.

In marine technologies.

In sustainable tourism.

In technological niches. And in digital.

Today, increasingly more Americans are investing in the Azores. Tourist demand for our islands from U.S. citizens is growing stronger with each passing year.

I would like to conclude by reiterating the importance of this Sister Cities Summit and expressing, on behalf of the Azores and the Azoreans, my gratitude to all those present for the contribution they are making to strengthening relations between our nations.

Let us all continue to believe in good relations between peoples, regions and nations as the most valuable tool for building peace and, hence, progress.

The Azores will be here, in the middle of the North Atlantic, between the European Union and the United States of America, united in the common defence of Democracy and Freedom, always ready to make their contribution.

Now, after this opening session, the work of the Summit begins.

The excellence of the participants, the cause they have embraced, and FLAD's organisational skills assure me that this first Sister Cities Summit will be a success.

The event in the Azores, halfway between America and Europe, proved to be the most appropriate place for this meeting of nostalgia and strategic projection, which are our islands. This time in São Miguel.

I trust that we will welcome you with the splendour of our natural beauty and the courtesy of our close ties, which are also expressed in every event and every moment.

I wish you fruitful work.

Thank you very much!"