PHOTO: Minister of Culture, of Cape Verde Islands, Dr. Manuel Veiga, with Clifton E. Graves, Jr., Vice President, AMISTAD America at recent function in Brockton, Massachusetts, sponsored by CABO.

In the aftermath of the Freedom Schooner Amistad's successful port visit to Cape Verde in March, 2008, the Cape Verdean community in New England recently honored Cape Verdean Minister of Culture, Dr. Manuel Veiga and his wife, the Honorable Ambassador, Dr. Fatima Veiga at a reception at the Restaurant Sodade in Brockton, Massachusetts.

The event, co-sponsored by CABO--the Cape Verdean American Business Owners Assoc.--also recognized and thanked AMISTAD America for including Cape Verde in the Atlantic Freedom Tour  schedule. AMISTAD America, represented by Vice-President Clifton E. Graves, Jr., used this occasion to thank both Minister Veiga for the Cape Verdean hospitality shown the Amistad crew and staff, and CABO for underwriting the Amistad visit.

The plan of AMISTAD America is to continue to build the relationship with the Cape Verdean community for future cooperative ventures including, but not limited to, visits to Providence, Rhode Island, and Nantucket, Massachusetts, with a possible return to Cape Verde in 2010 for that country's 35th anniversary of independence. Key to coordinating the Cape Verdean port visit were Ramiro Mendes, noted Cape Verdean producer/musician/artist, and Hartford attorney, Joseph Moniz.

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