Two-day gathering in Ponta Delgada will examine the achievements, challenges, and future of Azorean self-government, with an opening address by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
The Legislative Assembly of the Azores and the University of the Azores will host a two-day academic conference on October 26 and 27 in Ponta Delgada, marking the 50th anniversary of regional autonomy and examining its political, constitutional, economic, and cultural development since Portugal’s transition to democracy.
Entitled Azorean Autonomy in Democratic Portugal: Assessment and Perspectives, the conference will bring together scholars and researchers from the Azores, mainland Portugal, Madeira, and the Canary Islands to assess five decades of self-government and discuss the challenges facing the region.
Organized in partnership with CHAM, the University of the Azores’ Humanities Center, the event will take place in the university’s Aula Magna and North Auditorium. Admission is free.
The opening session, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Monday, October 26, will feature representatives of CHAM, the university’s leadership, and Luís Garcia, President of the Legislative Assembly of the Azores.
At 10 a.m., Professor Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will deliver the inaugural address, launching two days of discussions on the historical significance and future direction of Azorean autonomy.
The first day’s sessions will focus on the constitutional and legal foundations of regional self-government, including the evolution of its financial framework, the democratization of Portugal, and the historical development of autonomous institutions.
Speakers will also examine the experiences of Madeira and the Canary Islands, offering comparative perspectives on the political and institutional challenges facing island regions.
On Tuesday, October 27, discussions will turn to political autonomy and economic sustainability, addressing European integration, management of the Azores’ maritime territory, economic and social convergence, and constitutional questions affecting the region’s future.
The final academic panel will explore the relationship between autonomy, culture, science, and social cohesion, with particular attention to regional identity, education, development, and the University of the Azores’ contribution to the autonomous project.
The conference will conclude at 6 p.m. on October 27, with remarks by Azores Regional Government President José Manuel Bolieiro and Legislative Assembly President Luís Garcia.
The event forms part of the official commemorations of the 50th anniversary of Azorean autonomy, established within Portugal’s democratic constitutional framework following the April 25, 1974, revolution.
The anniversary offers an opportunity to examine how regional self-government has shaped the archipelago’s institutions, public policies, and relationship with the Portuguese state over the past half-century.
Organizers emphasize that the conference is intended not only to revisit the achievements of autonomy but also to encourage informed discussion about its future, particularly in areas where constitutional authority, economic development, territorial cohesion, and regional identity intersect.
By bringing academic research into dialogue with political institutions, the gathering seeks to contribute to a broader understanding of the role of autonomy in the development of the Azores and its continuing significance within democratic Portugal.
Based on information released by the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores and the University of the Azores concerning the October 26–27, 2026, conference in Ponta Delgada.