Rego & Furtado Selected For Azores Programme
Sydney Rego and Catrina Furtado have been selected for an international academic and cultural initiative designed to strengthen ties between the Azores and its global diaspora.
A spokesperson said, “The Portuguese Cultural Association of Bermuda [PCA], in partnership with the Azorean Diaspora Council, are pleased to announce the selection of Sydney Rego and Catrina Furtado as the two Bermuda participants in the FLAD Summer Program - Azores 2026, an international academic and cultural summer programme organised by the Luso-American Development Foundation [FLAD] in partnership with the University of the Azores [UAc] and the Regional Government of the Azores. The programme will take place from 1 to 17 July 2026, on the islands of São Miguel and Terceira.
“The two candidates were selected following a rigorous local selection process conducted by a seven-member committee of prominent members of the Portuguese-Bermudian community, drawing on the published selection criteria of the University of the Azores, FLAD, and the Government of the Azores. The committee assessed candidates on the basis of academic merit, motivation, and leadership potential.
Sydney Rego
“Sydney Rego is a 24-year-old Bermudian of Azorean descent, currently completing a Master’s degree in Foundations of Clinical Psychology at Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom, after which she will be returning to Bermuda to begin her career. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with Distinction from Queen’s University in Canada, where she appeared on the Dean’s Honour List multiple times and completed an Honours thesis on consumer behaviour and sustainability. Her professional experience reflects a deep commitment to community wellbeing, having worked as a Clinical Psychology Assistant at Solstice and as a Youth Worker at the Family Centre, supporting young people across a range of therapeutic programmes.
“Sydney has Azorean ancestry on both sides of her family. Her paternal grandmother was born and raised in Água de Alto, São Miguel. A first visit to the island in 2024 deepened her connection to her heritage and inspired her to explore her roots further. As a psychology student, she understands the importance of a strong sense of cultural identity, and sees the FLAD Summer Programme as a meaningful opportunity for herself and her fellow Azorean-Bermudian participants to solidify that connection.
Catrina Furtado
“Catrina Furtado is a 19-year-old Bermudian of Azorean descent, currently in her first year of a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She has built an impressive record of hands-on experience in marine science and conservation, including work at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo [BAMZ], a Marine Science internship at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences [BIOS], and international conservation fieldwork in Borneo, Malaysia, as a junior volunteer representative of the Bermuda Zoological Society. An Advanced Open Water PADI-certified diver since the age of 15, she is the recipient of the BZS Leadership Award and the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award.
“Catrina’s connection to her Azorean heritage has been nurtured through family visits to São Miguel and active participation in Bermuda’s Portuguese cultural community. She joins the programme eager to reconnect with the islands her family comes from and to deepen her understanding of their natural and cultural heritage, themes that resonate closely with her academic passion for the natural world and environmental stewardship.”
“We are immensely proud of both Sydney and Catrina, and delighted to be able to support their participation in this inaugural programme,” said Richard Ambrósio, Chairman of the Portuguese Cultural Association of Bermuda and Bermuda Representative on the Azorean Diaspora Council. “Both young women are outstanding representatives of Bermuda’s Azorean community, and we have every confidence that they will make the most of this extraordinary opportunity. We are grateful to the University of the Azores, FLAD, and the Government of the Azores for their partnership in making this possible, and to the generous community donors whose support has helped fund these places.”
A spokesperson added, “The FLAD Summer Program – Azores is a fully funded international academic and cultural programme aimed at young people of Azorean descent aged 18 to 25. Taught in English across the islands of São Miguel and Terceira, it is designed to develop leadership skills and strengthen transatlantic ties between the Azores and its diaspora communities.
“The programme is organised around five thematic areas: Natural History; Settlement and Cultural Heritage; Political and Administrative Organisation; Economic Activity; and Environmental Governance. It draws on all four faculties of the University of the Azores: Agrarian and Environmental Sciences; Business and Economics; Sciences and Technology; and Social Sciences and Humanities. Successful participants receive 6 ECTS credits [equivalent to 3 US credits] and a bilingual certificate of completion issued by the University of the Azores. Participants pay only a symbolic €50 registration fee upon arrival.”
Congratulations ladies. May you both take advantage of this opportunity and get as much out of it as you can.