Azores and Madeira sign protocol with Portuguese Communities Council - Communication

Secretaria Regional dos Assuntos Parlamentares e Comunidades

The Communities departments of the regional governments of the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira signed a cooperation protocol with the Portuguese Communities Council this month.

The protocol aims to establish a framework for ongoing cooperation to disseminate the importance of the Portuguese diaspora around the world, strengthen ties between Portuguese communities, the Portuguese state and the autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira, and develop joint initiatives in areas such as Portuguese descent youth and civic participation.

The document seeks to bring the Portuguese Communities Council closer to the Azorean Diaspora Council and the Madeira Diaspora Council.

As such, the Azorean Government is represented in this protocol by the Regional Directorate for the Communities, under the administration of the Regional Secretariat for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities. In turn, the Government of Madeira is represented by the Regional Directorate for the Communities and External Cooperation, under the supervision of the Presidency of that regional executive body. Both departments liaise with the respective diaspora councils.

In addition to the areas of cooperation already mentioned, the protocol also ensures the participation of representatives of the departments and councils in the most relevant events promoted by each of the signatories, as well as closer relations between the Portuguese Communities Council and the Azorean and Madeiran Diaspora Councils. It also intends to strengthen cooperation in external communication by jointly disseminating institutional or high-impact initiatives, coordinating communication and promotional platforms, and actively promoting the brand and institutional image of each entity among communities, local authorities and the general public.

The protocol also requires holding regular meetings to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the actions outlined in the document, as well as preparing an annual public progress report.

The tripartite protocol was signed by the president of the Portuguese Communities Council, Flávio Martins, the Regional Director for the Communities of the Government of the Azores, José Andrade, and the Regional Director for the Communities and External Cooperation of the Government of Madeira, Sancho Gomes.