“To care, you need to know”, reminds the President of the Government on World Earth Day

April 22, 2024

The President of the Regional Government of the Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, highlighted today, on World Earth Day, in a session before dozens of young people from 1st to 4th grade, that “to care, you need to know”, encouraging them to share lessons learned with family and friends.

“Thank you for welcoming me so well here at this school. You are attentive and respectful. It's great to be here celebrating this important day. At school we learn the important things for our lives. And you can use these teachings to talk to your friends and family at home”, highlighted José Manuel Bolieiro.

The governor was speaking at Escola Básica Integrada Canto da Maia, in Ponta Delgada, in a session dedicated to World Earth Day.

Addressing the young students, he declared: “talk about these things. I have already realized that they know a lot and can also teach their family and friends about sustainability, how we look at and care for our nature, and the pride we have and should have in our nature”.

World Earth Day was created on April 22, 2009, through Resolution No. 63/278 of the United Nations General Assembly

This day is a way to defend the preservation of the environment and find a fair balance between economic, social and environmental needs, both for present and future generations. It also calls on civil society to take an active role in implementing measures to protect our planet.

Following this global celebration, the Portuguese Group of ProGEO (European Association for the Conservation of Geological Heritage) decided to proclaim April 22nd as National Geological Heritage Day.

To celebrate these milestones, the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action is promoting initiatives this year, across all the islands, with the school community, promoting the activity “Volcanic Caves of the Azores” and the official launch of the Children's Guide, with the same title, of the Offer of School Environmental Awareness Activities 2023/24.

The Azores Volcanic Cavities Children's Guide is the third in a collection of guides created and developed by the UNESCO Azores Global Geopark, with the sponsorship of the local action groups ARDE, ADELIAÇOR and GRATER.

With the launch of this guide, the aim is to continue the mission of the previous two, “Os Vulcões dos Açores” (2013) and “As Rochas dos Açores” (2015), in educating and raising awareness among Azorean children on the subject of volcanology, civil protection, formation of volcanic islands, diversity of rocks in the Azores and their use.