The Regional Under Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations praised in Canada the work carried out by the House of the Azores of Winnipeg, which he considered to be the "result of the strong community involvement and ties between the Azores and the Azorean community" residing in the province of Manitoba.
 
"The Portuguese community residing in Manitoba is an example, not only in the full integration into the Canadian society but also in the close relation and mutual support between various Portuguese associations," said Rodrigo Oliveira. The government official spoke Wednesday at the House of the Azores Winnipeg. The meeting with the community was attended, among others, by representatives of the Portuguese Association of Manitoba, Casa do Minho Portuguese Centre, Portuguese Business and Professionals Association, Lira de Fátima Philharmonic Band, various folk dance groups, veterans association and Solidarity League of the Portuguese Women of Manitoba.
 
In his speech, Rodrigo Oliveira stressed the dynamics of the House of the Azores of Winnipeg and its openness to society, "through various initiatives, most notably the Cultural Weeks and the Holy Spirit Festivities, held annually." He also mentioned the "dinners and gatherings organised every week that involve many participants or the dynamism of its three folk groups," which decisively contribute to the "assertion of the Azores in the city of Winnipeg and the province of Manitoba.”
 
The regional Under Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations recalled the 40th anniversary of Autonomy. It "allowed the strengthening of fraternal ties between all Azoreans, from the nine islands to the 'tenths' islands of the Azores, and provided the tools to build bridges between the Region and its Diaspora, most notably through the action of the Regional Directorate for Communities."
 
This meeting was also attended by the Honorary Consul of Portugal in Winnipeg, the Deputy Mayor of Winnipeg and members of the governing bodies of the House of the Azores. Rodrigo Oliveira stressed several initiatives developed by the Regional Government that are aimed at the Diaspora, including the Youth Training and the Media Meeting; both held this year. Moreover, he also mentioned the "support programmes created during this term for three hundred projects" in culture, learning of Portuguese, social issues and exchanges, in addition to partnership work through protocols signed with the Houses of the Azores and several other institutions in Canada, USA, Bermuda, Brazil, Uruguay and Mainland Portugal.
 
Founded in 1992, the House of the Azores of Winnipeg was initially designated as Azorean Cultural Centre of Manitoba, having adopted its current designation in 2001 when it joined the World Council of Houses of the Azores.
 
Its action is primarily focused on the promotion, preservation and dissemination of Azorean culture locally and the establishment of bridges that bring closer the Azoreans living in that Canadian province to the Azores.
 
On the first day of his visit to Canada, Rodrigo Oliveira met with the Mayor of Winnipeg, Brian Bowman, and attended the opening of the meeting of the City Council at the invitation of Deputy Mayor, Mike Pagtakhan. He was accompanied by the Regional Director for Communities, Paulo Teves, the Consul of Portugal, Paulo Jorge Cabral, and the President of the House of the Azores, João Paulo Melo.