The Cabinet Office is advising that Premier Michael Dunkley will be travelling to the Azores and New York next week.
From May 2nd to May 5th, the Premier will be on an official visit to the Azores for the formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Governments of Bermuda and the Azores. The significance of the MOU is to strengthen the historic and cultural ties between the two countries. The MOU signing takes place on May 3.
The public will recall that last June representatives from the Azorean Government visited Bermuda to meet with government officials as well as members of the Island’s Azorean community.
During the visit, the Premier welcomed the group to the Cabinet Office to discuss matters of mutual interest and the Azorean Government invited him to make an official visit to the Azores.
Next week while in the Azores, the Premier will also participate in a number of meetings and activities, including an official dinner hosted by the President of the Government of the Autonomous Region of Azores honouring the Premier.
Other events and activities that the Premier will engage in include:
- A visit to the Pico Vermelho Geothermal Power Station;
- A visit to NONAGON - São Miguel Science and Technology Park to meet with the Board Directors of Sociedade de Desenvolvimento Empresarial dos Açores – Azores Business Development Society;
- A visit to the Image of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres – Lord Holy Christ of Miracles – and its Treasure;
- A courtesy call to the President of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of Azores; and
- A visit to the Oceanography and Fisheries Department of the University of the Azores.
The Premier is accompanied to the Azores by the Hon. Trevor G. Moniz, Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Dr. Derrick Binns, Secretary to the Cabinet and Kimberley Durrant, the Bermuda Government’s London Office Representative.
In a related note, this past weekend, Premier Dunkley participated in a brief media interview for the RTP Internacional television service, the Portuguese public broadcaster. The station is on-island doing a profile piece on Bermuda’s annual Portuguese Festival this weekend. During the interview, the Premier spoke about Bermuda’s close cultural ties to the Azores and his upcoming trip this week.
Following his Azores visit, the Premier will travel to New York on May 5th to participate in activities in support of the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) events taking place in the city that weekend.
Prior to the ACWS events, Premier Dunkley will make a special appearance at Yankee Stadium on May 6, where he will throw out the symbolic first pitch at the New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox baseball game. “Auld Mug”, the America’s Cup Trophy, will also be on display at the game, which is expected to have nearly 50,000 spectators in attendance.
The Premier will also engage in media outreach to promote Bermuda while in New York.