Articolo

Islands of Europe 3rd Intercultural Forum in Velas São Jorge Azores 8 and 9 May 2025

The Islas del Mar Forum returns for its third edition in the municipality of Velas, on the island of São Jorge (Azores), bringing together voices from across the European islands and other insular regions of the world.

Organized by EURINSULA, in collaboration with AMRAA (Association of Municipalities of the Autonomous Region of the Azores), the Municipality of Velas, and the University of Cagliari, this Forum offers a unique platform for dialogue on the shared challenges and opportunities of island territories — culturally, historically, socially, and economically.

This edition will revolve around the following key themes:

Cooperation and Internationalization
Insularity and Identity
Transport
Intercultural and Sustainable Tourism
Energy Transition

The Forum maintains a dual character: open and engaging for local communities, students, and institutional actors, while also serving as a meaningful space for academic and professional exchange.

From the far west of the Azores and Puerto Rico to the northern archipelago of Finland and the southern islands of Malta and Sicily, with contributions from Sardinia, Corsica, and the Balearics, Islas del Mar invites participants to imagine and strengthen an archipelago of ideas, cooperation, and shared futures — stretching across Europe and beyond.

Set against the stunning backdrop of São Jorge's volcanic cliffs and Atlantic horizons, the Forum will also offer moments of cultural immersion, community encounters, and reflection. Velas, with its long maritime tradition and central position in the Azorean archipelago, becomes a symbolic meeting point — a place where ideas from across island territories can dock, exchange, and set sail again.

Participants will be invited not only to share knowledge and strategies, but also to experience the island's rhythm, its landscapes, and the hospitality of a community deeply connected to the sea.