The Regional Department for the Communities in partnership with Azores Express organized a program named “Missing the Azores”, which took place between November 15 and 21, 2003.

This initiative had the objective of offering old Azorean citizens residing in the United States the opportunity to visit their homeland, to be in contact with their relatives and friends and to acknowledge the present Azorean reality.

This Protocol was based on a commitment between these two entities, in which the Azores Express was responsible for providing the plane tickets Boston/Azores/Boston and the Regional Department for the Communities for the organization of the stay in the Azores, for the costs of the trips of those who did not reside in Boston, as well as for the stay of the participants in the Azores.

This initiative was addressed to all those who at the time of the trip were 60 years old or more, had not visited the Azores during at least the last 20 years and with an economical situation which didn’t allow them to support a trip of this kind.

Thus, the initiative included a trip to the Azores and back to the United States, stay (for those who decided not to stay with relatives), a touristic and cultural program on the island where each visitor was born, during 8 days.

In 2003, the initiative was attended by 7 participants from Fall River, New Bedford, Tulare, Newman and San José, who accompanied the pioneers of Azorean emigration to Canada on S. Miguel and Terceira Islands.