These sites, located in the historic centre, honour the Azoreans who emigrated to this state 400 years ago.

During the inauguration, the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Paulo Estêvão, recalled the “resilience of the first settlers who, hailing from nine isolated islands discovered in 1427, crossed the Atlantic to clear the land, establish agriculture and fishing, and spread their deep faith, particularly through the Holy Spirit”.

Building on this theme, Estêvão emphasised, “Wherever the Azoreans went – and they went to many places – they had this resilience to clear the land and make it productive,” as quoted in a press release from the Azorean government.

The significance of the new square and memorial was also noted by the local governor, Carlos Brandão, who considered that the work “fills a historical gap in the recognition of the capital’s origins”.

Reflecting on the occasion, Brandão stated, "Today, we pay this tribute to do justice to the people who came here and helped us found our island of São Luís. For the Azoreans who settled in the Desterro region and are now represented, this recognition was long overdue."

The new space, developed by the Metropolitan Executive Agency (Agem) in collaboration with representatives from the Azores, serves as a “hub for historical, tourist and leisure activities”.

Praça dos Açores features a memorial, an inscription with the names of the nine islands on the pavement, a portal bearing the names of Azoreans who helped found the city, such as Simão Estácio da Silveira, who led the migration of families in 1615, and ten artistic panels, in clay with incisive bas-relief, created by Eduardo Sereno.

Azorean emigration to Brazil, which took place predominantly in the 18th and 19th centuries, was driven by economic crises and volcanic eruptions.

Thousands of couples settled, particularly in the south, in Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, and in Rio de Janeiro.