The Regional Secretariat for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities informs that the submission period for applications for Azorean Diaspora Adviser runs from April 1 to 10.
This process, which will culminate in the election of the 19 advisers who will make up the Azorean Diaspora Council (CDA) for the 2025-2029 term, is carried out through the Azoreans in the World website, a platform managed by the Regional Directorate for the Communities to register Azoreans living outside the Region. Any of those registered in this digital space can submit their application to represent the geographical area in the Azorean diaspora corresponding to their residence.
Created in 2019 and formally established in 2021, this advisory body chaired by the President of the Government of the Azores aims to ensure the participation, collaboration and consultation of all those who wish to contribute to the Azores’ development project.
In this context, the CDA is responsible for involving Azoreans living outside the archipelago in the debate and definition of public policies and Azorean public projects, issuing opinions on legislation, programmes or measures developed by the Regional Government regarding emigration and the Azorean Diaspora. Furthermore, it contributes to the definition and coordination of policies to strengthen relations between the Diaspora and the Region, ensure the hearing and representation of public and private entities working in the areas of emigration and Azorean communities, propose initiatives meeting the needs and aspirations of Azoreans around the world, and improve the coordination of actions between partners and entities.
The CDA provides for the election of 19 representatives: one from Bermuda, five from Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, São Paulo and the remaining states), five from Canada (British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the remaining provinces), five from the United States of America (California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and two of the remaining states), one from Uruguay, one from Portugal (Mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Region of Madeira) and one representing the rest of the world.
Citizens registered on the Azoreans in the World website who have lived in the aforementioned geographical areas for more than five years and meet one of the following conditions are eligible to become advisers: having been born in the Azores or having Azorean ancestry; having lived in the Region for at least five years; and being married or living in a civil partnership with someone who can prove their ties to the Azores.
After the period for submitting applications for Azorean Diaspora Adviser, the lists for each geographical area will be validated between April 11 and April 14. The valid applications will then have one month for their presentation, in the run-up to the election, scheduled between May 20 and 24, 2025.
All stages of this process are carried out online via the Azoreans in the World platform, available at https://acorianosnomundo.azores.gov.pt/.
The CDA’s first term, which is now coming to an end, had the following members: Alexandre Raposo Moniz (Bermuda), Daniel Gonçalves (Rio de Janeiro), Regis Marques Gomes (Rio Grande do Sul), William Agostinho Marques (State of Santa Catarina), José Jacob (São Paulo) and Aristides Bittencourt (other Brazilian states), Eduardo Bettencourt Pinto (British Columbia), Paulo Jorge Cabral (Manitoba), Matthew Correia (Ontario), Victor Faria (Quebec), and Carlos Eduardo de Almeida (other Canadian provinces). In the United States of America, Zeto Carvalho represented the state of California, Rui Baptista represented Massachusetts, Márcia Sousa da Ponte represented Rhode Island, and David Rebelo Pimentel and Katherine Soares represented the other US states. In Uruguay, the Azorean Diaspora was represented by Gladys Alicia Quintana Diaz, while the Mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Region of Madeira were represented by Maria Manuela Meneses. Eduardo Borba da Silva was the adviser representing the Rest of the World.
