The Vice-Presidency of the Government of the Azores will reactivate this week the Regional Advisory Council for Immigration Affairs (CCRAI), an entity created in 2002 that has been inactive since 2014. Its first meeting will take place on Friday, February 18, at 10 a.m. at the Capitães Generais Palace in Angra do Heroísmo and will be chaired by the Vice-President of the Government, Artur Lima.
The CCRAI aims to ensure the participation and collaboration of associations representing immigrants, social partners, social solidarity institutions as well as other organisations providing social and cultural support to immigrants in the definition and coordination of policies for social integration and the fight against exclusion.
After an eight-year hiatus, the CCRAI once again brings together its constituent entities to proceed with the inauguration of its members as well as to make a statistical analysis of the current situation regarding the immigrants residing in the archipelago.
The session is also intended to present the results of the projects and activities carried out and scheduled by the Regional Directorate for the Communities, a department under the administration of the Vice-Presidency of the Regional Government with competences in the area of immigration, such as the REGIN project – Regions for Migrants and Refugees Integration, implemented in the Azores between 2020 and 2022. Moreover, the meeting will address the Portuguese Language courses, taught on the islands of São Miguel and Terceira in 2021, or the “Integration School” programme, an initiative promoted in 2021 which, due to its success and impact, was extended to the current year.
The CCRAI is composed by the following members: the Regional Directors for the Communities, Education, Social Solidarity, Vocational Training and Employment, AIPA – Azores Immigrants’ Association, CRESAÇOR – Regional Cooperative for Solidarity Economy/ Migrants’ Support Office, ASIBA – Association of Brazilian Immigrants in the Azores, the Regional Union of Private Social Solidarity Institutions of the Azores, the Association of Municipalities of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, the Portuguese Immigration and Border Service and the ACM – High Commission for Migration.
Created in 2002, the CCRAI main mission is to collaborate in the development of social integration policies for immigrants aimed at eliminating discrimination and promoting equal opportunities, to participate in the definition of measures and actions contributing to the improvement of immigrants’ living conditions and the defence of their rights. Furthermore, it has the responsibility of issuing opinions on the investment and activity plan of the Regional Government department with competences in the area of immigration.
The Government of the Azores has implemented the development of initiatives and strategies that promote the full integration of immigrants, recognising their active contribution to the enrichment of Azorean society in a wide range of areas.
