The Regional Secretariat for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, through the Regional Directorate for Communities, and SATA/Azores Airlines are launching, in partnership, the “I Love Azores” competition—an initiative designed to strengthen cultural and emotional ties between young Azorean descendants living in North America and the Autonomous Region of the Azores.
The competition is part of the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the Autonomous Region of the Azores and the 85th anniversary of SATA, both to be commemorated in 2026. It represents a joint effort to promote Azorean identity and bring diaspora communities closer to their homeland.
Open to participants aged 18 to 40 with family ties to the Azores, the competition invites candidates to submit an original text in English, no longer than one A4 page, reflecting on their relationship with the Azores. Entries must include the references “Autonomous Region of the Azores,” “Azorean Communities,” and “SATA.”
Submissions will be accepted from February 1 to April 30, 2026, and must be sent online via a dedicated form: https://forms.gle/2YugKZW2vzjyUJBm8. Each applicant may submit only one entry and must indicate the air route for which they are applying.
One prize will be awarded, consisting of a round-trip flight (taxes not included) operated by SATA Azores Airlines on one of the following routes: Boston–Azores, New York–Azores, Toronto–Azores, or Montreal–Azores. The prize is personal, non-transferable, and valid for one year.
Applications will be evaluated by a jury chaired by the prestigious, award-winning American writer of Azorean descent, Katherine Vaz, and composed of the Regional Director of Communities, José Andrade, and the Director of Sales and Marketing of SATA, Graça Silva. The jury will assess submissions based on originality and creativity, linguistic clarity, and relevance to the theme.
Katherine Vaz, who descends from a family from Terceira Island, was born in the United States and lives in New York. She is one of the most prominent contemporary Portuguese-American writers. Her second novel, Mariana, was published in six languages and selected by the Library of Congress as one of the 30 Best International Books of 1998. Among other distinctions, she was named Portuguese-American Woman of the Year and, in 2022, was recognized by PALCUS – the Portuguese American Leadership Council of the United States – as one of the most influential women of Portuguese descent of all time.
The results of the “I Love Azores” competition will be announced on May 25, 2026—Azores Day—through the official websites and social media platforms of the two promoting entities.
Through this joint initiative, the Government of the Azores and SATA/Azores Airlines reaffirm their commitment to promoting Azorean culture, strengthening ties with emigrant communities, and reinforcing the sense of belonging to the Autonomous Region of the Azores.
Source: Press release @ azores.gov
The Azores (population 250,000) is a region of Portugal composed of nine islands. The archipelago, discovered by Portuguese explorers in the 15th century, became an Autonomous Region of Portugal in 1976. The government of the Autonomous Region of the Azores includes the Legislative Assembly, composed of 57 elected deputies, elected by universal suffrage for a four-year term; the Regional Government and Presidency, with parliamentary legitimacy, composed of a President, a Vice-President and seven Regional Secretaries responsible for the Regional Government’s executive operations. The Autonomous Region of the Azores is represented in the Council of Ministers of the Central Government by a representative appointed by the President of Portugal. According to the latest US census, over 1.3 million individuals of Portuguese descent live in the United States, the majority with roots in the Azores. It is estimated that over 20,000 US citizens live in Portugal.
