The President of the Regional Government stated in Turlock, California, that the Houses of the Azores are friends of the Region scattered around the world. They provide an important contribution to keep 'Azoreanity' alive in the Diaspora as well as to strengthen the ties to the land of origin.

"It is essential to mention that we are gathered here because we have a history of emigration, but above all we have the desire to maintain and strengthen the ties to the Azores," said Vasco Cordeiro at the opening dinner of the 17th General Assembly of the World Council of Houses of the Azores.

The meeting was attended by six hundred people, including the representatives of parties with seat at the Legislative Assembly of the Azores. For Vasco Cordeiro, it demonstrates that the importance of the links with the Diaspora is not limited to the Government or a country; it encompasses all those who have the responsibility to ensure the "maintenance and strengthening of this relation in the future."

In his speech, the President of the Government stressed that being surrounded by "friends who are aware of these ties to the Azores are something very strong." Vasco Cordeiro alluded to U.S. congressman of Azorean descent Jim Costa, "who is always present whenever the Azores need help," and the ambassador of Portugal in Washington, Nuno Brito, who "invested in the relation with the Azorean community and became aware that the strengthening of this relation does not diminish the presence of Portugal in the USA; on the contrary, it is reinforced."

However, Vasco Cordeiro restated that the current challenge is to "know how to maintain the relation between the Azores and the emigrant communities without the feeling of longing," since these communities are increasingly made up by people who do not know the Region.

"This is a major challenge because it depends on our ability to maintain the relation between the Azores and their communities in the future," stressed the President of the Government.

In this "new level of the relation with the communities, the Azores are presented as a modern region with good infrastructures, being a gateway to Europe that has many opportunities to be seized by all those who feel this relation with the Azores," stated Vasco Cordeiro.