Portuguese American Journal

Saudades dos Açores Program for Seniors – Azores

Posted on 02 September 2011. Tags:

The Regional Government of the Azores is sponsoring the 9th edition of the “Saudades dos Açores” program.

The initiative is aimed to providing older Azorean expatriates living in the United States, Canada, Bermuda, and Brazil with the opportunity to travel back to the homeland to visit family and friends.

To qualify, candidates must be age 60 or older, without the financial means to travel, and not having visited the Azores in the last 20 years.

Participants will travel to the Azores for a week in November, 2011. The deadline to submit applications is September 30, 2011.

Established in 2003, the program is co-sponsored by Azores Express and SATA International.  Last year, 20 seniors from the United States, Canada and Brazil, participated in the program.

In a statement for the Portuguese American Journal, the  Director of the Department for the Azorean Communities, Dr. Graça Castanho, said that the “Saudades dos Açores” program “is the event that more deeply touches the Azorean elderly immigrant population.”

She added, “During their visit to the islands, after so many years of absence, the overflowing of emotions and joy, the reunion with family, friends, places and cultural references, overcome the participants. Knowing that the program makes such a difference, gives us the reason to continue.”

The initiative has local support in the Azorean community organizations in the disapora, namely the Massachusetts Alliance for Portuguese Speakers-MAPS Cambridge (MA/USA); SER- Jobs for ProgressFall River (MA/USA); Centro de Assistência ao Emigrante, em New Bedford (MA/USA); Centros Comunitários POSSO and VALER (CA/USA); Centro de Acção Sócio-Comunitária, Montreal (Canada); Missão Santa Cruz, Montreal (Canada);Centro de Abrigo, Toronto (Canada); Clube Vasco daGama (Bermuda); and Casa dos Açores do Rio de Janeiro and Casa dos Açores de São Paulo (Brazil).

For Terms & Conditions  consult >>  Regulamento do programa Saudades dos Açores – 2011

For Information visit >> www.azores.gov.pt

For contact email >>  drc@azores.gov.pt

paj.cm



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