Consul General Massimo Carnelos’ first official visit to Portland, Oregon proved to be a powerful and inspiring introduction to a city distinguished by its vitality across business, science, research, culture, and a remarkably dynamic Italian community.
Thanks to the outstanding work of Honorary Consul Vytas Babusis, the mission featured a rich and engaging program that showcased the depth of Italy–Oregon connections and the significant potential for future collaboration.
The visit included meetings with representatives from Business Oregon to explore economic collaboration, as well as engagements with leading academic and research institutions such as Oregon Health & Science University and Portland State University, with particular attention to the contribution of Italian scientists and scholars.
Industry visits to Smith Optics (Safilo Group) and the Nike Global Headquarters underscored the strong presence of Italian expertise within major international companies operating in the region.
The program also emphasized cultural and educational ties through a visit to StudioLingua, an emerging center for Italian language and education in Portland.
Overall, the mission confirmed Portland’s openness to international cooperation and laid the groundwork for further strengthening Italy–Oregon relations across economic, scientific, academic, and cultural sectors.
