Portal da Açorianidade

The Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Paulo Estêvão, stated today that the International Network of Social Service Organisations in the Azores and the Diaspora, whose establishment protocol was signed today by about two dozen entities, represents a “historic moment” for the Azores and their communities. “We are facing an unprecedented situation. The latest figures from the Portuguese government reveal that the country has one and a half million immigrants. This is a very significant increase. A nation of emigrants has become a country that welcomes immigrants. At the same time, we still have a substantial emigrant population. It is a unique situation,” he said, speaking in Ponta Delgada at the closing session of an international seminar dedicated to setting up this Network. According to the Regional Secretary, “this extraordinary and historic situation raises challenges for the country” and the Azores. “There is a recent situation that concerns the emigration policy pursued by the new U.S. administration. Currently, considering not so much the actions regarding the Portuguese community, but rather the rhetoric involved, the number of deportations has not been higher than usual. This has not occurred. A significant number of Azoreans are returning at the moment. This voluntary return is influenced by the impact of the [U.S.] administration’s rhetoric on the issue and the fear that it may have practical consequences,” he pointed out. Paulo Estêvão also recalled the current war conflicts, admitting that it is “quite difficult to plan anything” and mentioning examples such as export figures or macroeconomic indicators. “What we are doing here is the opposite: bringing together a group of regional and diaspora social service institutions to share knowledge and do more together,” he emphasised, contrasting this idea with the political and economic protectionism of some democracies. “This protocol is so important that we are all here with a spirit of mutual help and have increasingly wider social support that can reach more people. I am truly impressed by the work of all these institutions,” he said, after attending the presentation on the activities of various diaspora organisations and partners in this cooperation project. The International Network of Social Service Organisations in the Azores brings together associations and/or other organisations that carry out social activities with the Azorean communities in the United States of America, Canada and Bermuda. The Regional Directorate for the Communities is the promoter and coordinator of this network. This organisation aims, among other things, to foster the permanent exchange of information and promote several social and cultural support responses that, through cooperation between different entities, contribute to the effective integration of Azorean emigrants and Azoreans returning to the Region. It also intends to integrate the family and community context of emigrants and returned emigrants, whenever possible, into its social intervention activities. Maximising resources and strategies, avoiding inefficient duplication of interventions and improving structured and coordinated responses, laying the foundations for permanent inter-institutional cooperation at local, regional, national and transnational levels, and promoting studies and assessments providing a deeper understanding of the reality and a permanent adaptation of the intervention of various players are also goals of this Network.