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Above, State Rep. Jeff Roy, Meg Campbell, Principal Officer, U.S. Consulate Ponta Delgada, Massachusetts State Senator Mike Rodriguez, and what appears to be a portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt from his visit to the Azores as Secretary of the Navy in 1918.
Rep. Jeffrey N. Roy (D-Franklin) joined several Massachusetts legislative officials on a trade mission to San Miguel, Azores, and Lisbon, Portugal, to meet officials and discuss issues of importance to both sides, including economic development, educational partnerships, maritime security, and green energy initiatives. While there, Roy met with Portuguese and United States officials to discuss these issues of mutual interest.
The visit included meetings with Azores President Jose Manuel Boleiero, Mayor Pedro Nascimento Cabral, U.S. Consul to the Azores Margaret Campbell, historian José de Almeida Mello (chief librarian of the Ponta Delgada Municipal Library and the cultural attaché of Ponta Delgada City Hall), Catolica Rector Isabel Capeloa Gil, Portuguese Secretary of Internationalization Bernardo Ivo Cruz, and U.S. Ambassador Randi Charon Levine.
It also included stops at the Nonagon Technology Park, the University of the Azores, Católica University, the Palacio das Necessidades, FLAD, the Jose do Canto Palace and Gardens, Palacio Sant Ana, Santo Christopher Sanctuary, and Hassamaim Synagogue.
“Massachusetts and Portugal are great friends and I was honored to travel with the delegation to foster and strengthen the ties between the our state and the Portuguese nation,” said Rep. Roy. “Our talks focused on shared common democratic values and concerns, international relations, energy, education, and the Inflation Reduction Act which was passed in August 2022. Portugal is a gateway to Europe and it is essential to have cooperation between the countries on the two sides of the Atlantic.”
Augusto Athayde, Count of Albuquerque, commented that it is important “to develop and strengthen the good and prosperous relationship between the Azores and Portugal and the USA, and especially with Massachusetts, where so many Azorean families have set and organized their lives, and therefore by doing so, promoted the development of links between both our great countries.”
While there, the delegation also experienced some of the local culture and landmarks including traditional folkloric dance, a traditional fado dinner, the Sanctuary at Fatima, the Monastary at Batalha, and the historic towns of Nazare and Obidos.
No taxpayer funds were expended on the trip and each member of the delegation personally paid for the costs of the flights, accommodations, and meals.
