Opening of Emigrant Square hailed by thousands in the diaspora

In the city of Ribeira Grande, Emigrant Square was inaugurated this Sunday, July 26, with the ceremony possible, due to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. Respecting the security rules, dozens of people made a point of following the solemn act in person, and thousands watched the event live (via Facebook), in the Azorean diaspora.

The images — available at https://www.facebook.com/cmribeiragrd/videos/235675734078660/UzpfSTEwNDU0MTQyNDU4MzMwODoxNjMwODc4NzIwNjE5OTY/?modal=admin_todo_tour — have caused a high impact in the Azorean communities, especially in those evoked at the Emigrant Square: Brazil, Uruguay, USA, Hawaii, Bermuda, and Canada. Azoreans living in France and those from mainland Portugal also expressed themselves with dozens of emotional comments approving the work and hundreds of “like” and “adore”.

On the spot, at an event co-organized by AEA – Association of Azorean Emigrants, the Mayor of Ribeira Grande, Alexandre Guadêncio, received the Deputy Regional Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations, Rui Bettencourt, representing the president of the Government of the Azores. Both symbolically unveil the flag of the Azores, together with the president of the AEA, Rui Faria, and with the artist Luís Silva, author of the public art piece Saudades da Terra, the central element of Emigrant Square.

In a simple ceremony, in addition to the mayor Alexandre Gaudêncio, the governor Rui Bettencourt, the president of the AEA and the artist Luís Silva, had spoken the General Consul of the US Embassy in Lisbon, Patrick Wingate, and the Canadian honorary consul in Ponta Delgada, Melinda Stockreef.

For his decisive participation, the artist Luís Silva was distinguished with a silver salute by the municipality of Ribeira Grande and highly praised by all the stakeholders.

The event ended with a brief explanation of the work to the guests, conducted by Luís Silva himself, by artist Liliana Lopes, author of Cobblestone of the Worlds, and by architect Fernando Monteiro, responsible for the architectural project of Emigrant Square.