According to a report by Postal, between 2006 and 2016, “Proud to Be Portuguese Canadian” presented at least one program annually in a Canadian city, starting on the west coast of the country, in Vancouver.

“We want to encourage young people to be proud of their origins, and know about where they come from”, announced Terry Costa.

The Portuguese Canadian living on the island of Pico, in the Azores, has no doubt that the project had an “impact on young Portuguese descendants”.

“In 2012, at a conference with over 300 participants of young people from Canadian universities, we carried out a survey, which revealed only 20 percent had visited Portugal. However, a lot has changed since then, because we encouraged them”, he highlighted.

The project aims to educate a “Portuguese community which will captivate young people”, to open doors so that they can “have a future”.

“It is important to shed a light on the present Portuguese Canadian community in Canadian society”, he added.

Terry Costa confirmed preparations for a “new season of the event”, which will be taking place a decade after the last edition, in the city of Toronto.

“We want to feature new generations, new ideas, artists and creatives. The main objective is to encourage younger people, especially students at universities, across the country. To participate in one way or another, from conferences, book presentations, music, dance, theatre, to contemporary art”, he explained.

A “major exhibition” related to contemporary art is being prepared for the 2025 edition of this project, inviting artists of Portuguese descent to “join the project”.

The “Proud to Be Portuguese Canadian” event in Toronto, in 2012, was the most successful edition, with the support of governments, including Portugal, the Azores and Madeira.

In 2002, Terry Coata founded the MiratecArts Association in Vancouver, Canada, moving the organisation’s headquarters to Pico Island in 2012, where it organises cultural events, including the Fringe e Cordas festivals.