Angra do Heroísmo, February 2, 2020
The Vice-President of the Government handed this Saturday, in Angra do Heroísmo, the Azores Handicraft Award – CoMtradição to João Pereira, the island of Terceira.
For Sérgio Ávila, it is an acknowledgment and a tribute to a craftsman who has contributed, since the 1960s, to boosting the economy of the island of Terceira, employing dozens of embroiderers, while preserving the tradition of white embroidery.
“Basically, it intends to be not only an acknowledgment of a lifetime, but, in particular, also a motivation for the continuation of this work, this example and this reference”, he underlined.
At the opening ceremony of the exhibition related to this award, which took place at the Museum of Angra do Heroísmo, the vice president praised the vision of the businessman now honored for his “perseverance, quality and competence”, passing the legacy from generation to generation.
“And it will continue to innovate, adapt to new technologies, new forms of commercialization, to new audiences, always maintaining genuine quality and, essentially, maintaining what is our reference: valorization”, added Sérgio Ávila.
The CoMtradição Award, which had its second edition this year, aims to dedicate artisans or entities with a consolidated and historically relevant career, whose work has contributed and continues to contribute to affirming the identity of the Azorean arts and crafts.
“Over the years, we have tried to value the region’s handicrafts. Valuing its importance from an economic point of view, valuing the introduction of more attractiveness and innovation”, contextualized Sérgio Ávila, noting that this is reflected in the path taken by the artisans of the Azores“ more and more in increasing numbers ”.
“It demonstrates the effort that has been made by everyone and, for that reason, we created this award”, stressed the Vice-President.
This event, promoted by the Regional Center for Handicrafts (CRAA), included the opening of a retrospective and anthological itinerant exhibition, which will be on display at the Museum of Angra do Heroísmo until March 1st, and can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday , from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm.
On the occasion, a catalog of historical and bibliographical reference about João Pereira was also presented.
GaCS / SB