The Institution

Maria José Botelho de Viveiros da Silva Lemos Duarte was born in Ponta Delgada. In 1992, she finished a degree in History, at Universidade dos Açores, and, in 1994, a post-graduate course in documentation sciences, in the libraries field. Later, she would also complete a post-graduate course in child and youth protection.

Tenured employee of Ponta Delgada’s public library (Biblioteca Pública e Arquivo Regional de Ponta Delgada), Maria José Lemos Duarte has occupied various positions of public and social nature. She was the Director of the Casa de Cultura de São Miguel, for 5 years; member of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores; Councilwoman for education, social development, culture, tourism and animal health at Ponta Delgada’s City Hall, member of its Assembly and President of the municipality.

She was also President of the Board of the municipalities association of São Miguel; member of the commission for child and youth protection of Ponta Delgada and member of the board of several Institutions for social solidarity.