Amici d'Italia - amiciditalia

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Who are the Amici d'Italia?

In 1979, the idea of Amici d’Italia grew out of the desire of a young group of local Italian-Americans and Italians to establish an organization that would provide a permanent means of preserving their heritage and culture.  While there already were other worthy and well established organizations in the area, they seemed to lack the intense cultural emphasis for which the younger group yearned. The only feasible option was to form a completely new and autonomous organization.

By 1980, the group had organized informally and given itself a new name, “Amici d’Italia.” The group was provided with a place to meet regularly at Portland’s landmark, St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church. This locale was appropriate as St. Michael’s was built by Italian immigrants and located in the heart of what was Portland’s Little Italy. St. Michael’s remains the official headquarters of Amici d’Italia where monthly meetings are held in the attached Balestra Hall.

In 1981, Amici d’Italia established itself officially by becoming incorporated as a non-profit organization with a mission statement, constitution and by-laws.  These were carefully designed to fulfill a primary objective: "to preserve and promote the Italian and Italian-American heritage, culture and history for the Italian-Americans of this community.”  The group includes men and women of all ages and people of non-Italian descent.

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