The President of the Government will chair the opening session of the 17th General Assembly of the World Council of Houses of the Azores (CMCA) in Hilmar in the state of California, USA, on August 29. The meeting will address the main challenges faced by these institutions in the Azorean diaspora and discuss the investment opportunities in the Azores.

The presence of Vasco Cordeiro in the annual meeting of the Houses of the Azores, which is taking place for the first time in the state of California, falls within the Government's goal to foster the presence and visibility of the Azores outside the archipelago. In this context, the houses of the Azores play an important role in the dissemination of Azorean reality in their host societies, particularly through the promotion of national products and the creation of business opportunities.

The 17th General Assembly of CMCA will be attended by representatives of 13 Houses of the Azores that make up this body as well as by two observers - the House of the Azores of Bahia, Brazil, and the Amigos do Pico Cultural Association in Vancouver, Canada.

Vasco Cordeiro will also attend a round table under the theme "Challenges of Communities and of the Houses of the Azores in the World" and a presentation on "Investment Opportunities in the Azores" by Arnaldo Machado, chairman of the Society for the Business Development of the Azores (SDEA). Furthermore, the President of the Government preside over the Opening Dinner of the 17th General Assembly of CMCA. The event will feature the awarding of three Medals of Merit to relevant institutions in the Azorean communities residing in the USA and the distinction of an "Azorean Quality Product."

The dinner will be attended by representatives of parties with seats in the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, the ambassador of Portugal in Washington, Nuno Brito, the General Consul of Portugal in San Francisco, Nuno Mathias, and the Honorary Consul of Portugal in Tulare, Diniz Borges.

During the two-day meeting of the General Assembly, participants will assess the activities carried out by the Houses of the Azores and debate themes such as "Associations and Media in California," "Civic and Political Participation in Communities" and "Higher Education: Challenge to Portuguese and Luso-American Youngsters in the USA."

California is the U.S. state where the Portuguese presence is stronger. It is estimated that over 70 percent of this presence is of Azorean origin or descent.

Established in 1997, the World Council of Houses of the Azores aims to promote and develop activities that contribute to the assertion of the Azores and their diaspora throughout the world as well as to reinforce social, cultural and economic relations between the archipelago and the regions where each House of the Azores is established.

Currently, the CMAC comprises the Houses of the Azores of Northern Portugal, Lisbon and Algarve (Mainland Portugal), Quebec, Ontario and Winnipeg (Canada), Hilmar and New England (USA), Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo (Brazil) and Uruguay.