Azores Day Portugal. Political quarrels between the Azores and the national government are usually highlighted during these celebrations, with political commentaries made by the President of the Regional Government. The Regional Government has traditionally, since 1980, held official celebrations on each island of the Azores. In 1997, Azores Day was marked in Ponta Delgada, with the solemn opening of the "Galeria dos Autonomistas" ("Autonomists' Gallery"), in the Palace of Conceição (seat of the Regional Government). After this date, the celebrations marking the Day of the Azores, which since 2006 had already been marked with bestowing honours to illustrious Azoreans, began to occur
Protected areas of the Azores subject to the Natura 2000 convention on habitats (such as Council-Directive 92/43/CEE 21 May 1992, regarding the preservation of natural habitats for wildlife and plants). Similarly, the protection of migratory and wild species of birds is framed within the European bird convention. Given the diverse habitats and ecosystems that exist in the Azores, and following the expansion of the Natura 2000 into Azores, the Regional Government sought to implement an environmental model which was based on management criteria with uniform set of designations, in order to classify protected areas. Using the island as the territorial management unit the Government of