Vasco Cordeiro shows "great pride" in the work of Azorean Community in California
The President of the Government visited Tuesday two agricultural companies in California owned by Azorean emigrants, where he highlighted the hard work carried out by the Azorean community in this state, as it happens in other parts of the world.
On the second day of the official visit to California, Vasco Cordeiro visited AV Thomas Produce, the world's largest organic sweet potato production, owned by Manuel Eduardo Vieira, and a milk production farm in Gustine, owned by João Pires, a native of Terceira Island.
"The importance of these visits also concerns the importance of becoming better acquainted with the extraordinary work carried out by our communities in California as well as in other parts of the world in order to generate added value and contribute to the progress of their host communities," said Vasco Cordeiro.
In this regard, the President of the Government stressed that the Regional Government "is proud of the fact that our people have the ability to create and build large companies."
"This visit has a purpose, not only for the knowledge of these circumstances but also for the dissemination of what we have done in the Azores in terms of economic development, and, perhaps, for the creation of investment opportunities that can serve both parties," said the President of the Government.
During this official visit, President of the Government will open the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) of California State University - Fresno at the invitation of the President of the University of California - Fresno, Joseph I. Castro.
Besides the opening of this institute aimed at the promotion of Portuguese Culture and Language, with special emphasis on the Azorean Diaspora, the programme includes a meeting with the Vice-Governor of the State of California, Eleni Kounalakis, as well as other institutional meetings with the Azorean communities of Sacramento, Hilmar, Artesia and San Diego.
According to the 2017 American Community Survey, the population of Portuguese origin in the State of California stands at about 345 thousand people, with an estimated 70 percent coming from the Azores.
From the mid-19th century, the Azorean Community has been living in California for several generations. It has maintained countless traditions with the creation of various organisations, namely Holy Spirit Brotherhoods, Philharmonic Bands, Folk Dance Groups, among others, while occupying prominent positions in several sectors of this American State.