Integration School reached more than 2,400 students in the Azores - Communication

Presidência do Governo Regional

The Integration School programme reached more than 2,400 students from secondary and vocational training schools on the nine islands of the archipelago, an initiative of the Presidency of the Government of the Azores, through the Regional Directorate for the Communities, developed in partnership with AIPA-Azores Immigrants' Association.

NONAGON - São Miguel Science and Technology Park was the venue of the last session of this project in 2022, organised by INETESE Vocational Training School - Azores Institute of Technical Education, as part of the celebrations of the Interculturality Day. It was attended by the Regional Director for the Communities, José Andrade, and the president of AIPA, Cristina Borges.

From November 2021, the launch date of the programme, until December 2022, the Integration School promoted 38 sessions in all secondary schools and all vocational training schools throughout the Azores, with the participation of 43 guest immigrants from 20 countries.

As a first step, this initiative aimed to present the life stories of immigrants fully integrated into Azorean society to junior high school students from São Miguel, Terceira and Faial. The success of the initiative and the interest aroused by the sessions were such that the Regional Directorate for Communities soon recognised the need to take the project to all the islands of the Azores.

The 40 school sessions provided an opportunity to share first-hand accounts from citizens from other countries who are fully integrated into local communities and are professionally involved in various areas, such as business, education, the arts, catering, sport and the hospitality industry.

The Integration School intended, on the one hand, to make the regional school community aware of the challenges of full integration in our society and, on the other hand, to make known the stories and life experiences of those who chose the Azores as a place to live.

This programme falls within the policies pursued by the Azorean Government to raise awareness and promote full social integration of citizens from other countries living on the nine islands of the archipelago.