“PDL [Ponta Delgada] 26 reflects our efforts to present a well-organized program that will project not only the culture in Ponta Delgada but also in the Azores nationally and across Europe. Additionally, it will bring cultural manifestations from throughout the country and beyond,” stated Pedro Nascimento Cabral, Mayor of Ponta Delgada, in a statement to the Lusa news agency.
The mayor’s comments followed the signing session of the PDL26 cooperation financing protocol between the Ministries of Culture and Economy/Secretary of State for Tourism, the Regional Government of the Azores, and Ponta Delgada City Hall. The event was part of the conference “Culture, Education, and Territory in the Place of Tomorrow,” the first initiative of the cultural project launching January next year.
When asked about the initiative’s importance for Ponta Delgada, the mayor mentioned it would spotlight cultural manifestations across all domains and outline the region’s future cultural vision from the strategically situated city of São Miguel in the middle of the North Atlantic.
“Undoubtedly, this is a pivotal challenge for new generations who will engage with the current culture and will later promote our identity and way of life here in the middle of the North Atlantic,” said Pedro Nascimento Cabral.
The protocol accessed by Lusa indicates a total funding of 5.3 million euros, distributed as follows: 650,000 euros from Turismo de Portugal, 650,000 euros from the Ministry of Culture, 1 million euros from the Regional Government, and 3 million euros from Ponta Delgada City Hall.
The agreement specifies that the planning, promotion, development, and execution of the project will be Ponta Delgada’s responsibility.
Katia Guerreiro, PDL26 commissioner, highlighted during the event that the project’s team made the Minister of Culture and the Secretary of State for Tourism aware of the challenges posed by insularity and the associated costs, resulting in an additional funding increase of 300,000 euros beyond initial expectations.
Mayor Cabral expressed that the increased funding for the cultural project illustrates the national government’s understanding of the geographic constraints in the Azores. He emphasized that hosting cultural events in the middle of the North Atlantic presents unique challenges compared to hosting them in Lisbon, Porto, or other mainland cities, mainly due to transportation and mobility constraints.
“We welcome this increased funding from the government to support the Portuguese Capital of Culture event in Ponta Delgada, which helps balance and mitigate the associated costs,” concluded the mayor.
